Stay With Me
by Ghost of the Dawn
Summary: Sequel to Chicago. There she was standing before him, the only girl that had been on Connor's mind for the past six months. Meanwhile, a bizarre murder spree shakes the city of Detroit. With android rights still on shaky ground, the last thing they need are human deaths believed to be related to a zealous android cult.
1. Chapter 1: Human Touch

**.**

**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone! Thank you for patiently waiting. I am very excited to start this sequel. As it says in the summary, this is the sequel to the Bittersweet Ending of "Chicago: Become Human". The actual sequel which will be titled "Deviant City" has been put on hold so I can (hopefully) churn this one out quickly and then go back to the other.

I hope you enjoy it. This fic will have a similar content rating as the one before it. There will be mature bedroom scenes as well as graphic murder scenes. Please read at your own discretion. Thank you for reading!

**Stay With Me**

**By: Ty-Chou**

**Chapter One: Human Touch**

"So, you work as a detective in the homicide department, but technically, you're not a detective?" Samantha asked.

It was mid-June and already plenty hot in Detroit. If Connor were human, he would be sweating in his dress shirt and blazer, still reading 'ANDROID' in bold, white letters on the back. Though it had been six months since the country put its android genocide on hold, very little had changed since then. The government was still 'researching' the possibility of true intelligent life within androids and, as such, Parson's Law was still in effect. This law stated that all androids must be dressed to clearly identify themselves as such in public.

Many deviants, of course, willfully disobeyed this law. Most of them could get away with it as they could easily pass as human both in look and mannerisms. Connor had chosen to adhere to this ordinance when he remained with the DPD. His job was to uphold the law. As such, he should be willing to obey it.

"I was never officially give the title of detective," Connor clarified. "I came into the department as an aid to the homicide unit however they wanted to use me. I serve somewhere in the middle of both detective and forensic analyst."

"Do they pay you?" Samantha wondered. "Wait, sorry, that's none of my business. You don't have to answer that."

"I don't mind answering. And they do now. I was officially put on the payroll in April."

It should have been sooner. But practically the whole world was going at a snail's pace integrating androids as actual people into society.

Samantha chose not to comment on this and instead said, "That's great! How did that feel when it happened?"

Connor visibly glowed in the mid-day sun as he smiled. "It made me feel accomplished, important. Like I was becoming my own person."

Samantha couldn't help but smile with him. She felt that glow all the way to her heart. "And I'm assuming you like your job with the police department, since you kept sticking around."

"Very much."

As the two walked companionably around the block, their shoulders casually brushed. Connor was hyper aware of her proximity to him. She had been on his mind since the last time he saw her. The memory of her was nothing compared to the real thing. Hearing her voice again did things to him. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail and the bounce of it around her pale shoulders kept catching his attention.

Connor was very much aware that the way he reacted to her presence was due to what the Other Connor had done to him. In his last seconds of life, the other RK800 had spilled a mixture of memories and emotions into Connor's system. All involving Samantha. And since the android had died mid-download, they were random, without context and incomplete.

As a result, Connor felt he both knew Samantha intimately and didn't know her at all. In the six months these foreign files had been swirling around his processor, she would often drift through his idle thoughts. Connor did his best to ignore them. He didn't think he would ever see her again. Now that she was before him, he was filled with urges he had never encountered before. He greatly wished to feel her touch and affection, and he also wanted to be of service to her. He quietly despaired at these desires as he had no idea how to proceed.

Samantha, however, kept him distracted by constantly asking questions. He found himself thoroughly enjoying the conversation. Very seldom was he ever asked questions that were both personal and enjoyable to answer.

"Tell me what you like about it," Samantha said with interest.

Connor took a moment to think. No one had ever asked him that before. "Every crime scene is a puzzle to solve and each puzzle must be solved differently. I like that challenge. And there is satisfaction in catching those who have hurt others and bringing them to justice. That also feels good when I know we've caught the right person and they are punished for what they did. Though..."

He paused, glancing up at the sky as they walked. "I have learned these past months that it's never as simple as catching and punishing the bad guy. Not everyone who commits a crime is punished, and not everyone who is punished is given the proper punishment for what they've done. My hardest lesson I've learned is that the justice system does what it can, but it is not perfect. Nothing in this world is perfect."

"All you can do is just try your best," Samantha agreed. She smiled at him, her nose crinkling cutely like Connor knew she could smile. "I have a feeling you're one of those who always tries his best."

"Always," he agreed.

"I'm sure Detroit is much safer with you on the job."

He smiled at her for a moment. Then the smile went away. "I've arrested androids. Some have called me a traitor to my kind for that."

"Should they have been arrested for what they did?"

"Most of the time, yes. Though...the first android I ever arrested was before I deviated, before even the revolution. He had killed his owner out of self-defense. He held physical evidence of a long history of abuse when we found him. I honestly don't know what was the right thing to do for him, but he was turned in to the military when the curfew came into effect. I don't know what happened after that. I still think about him from time to time. The memory...has a weight to it that I've never experienced before."

"Guilt?" Samantha ventured.

"Perhaps. I wish I could have done more, but I was not equipped to do anything other than what was ordered of me at that time."

"But the other androids, it wasn't the same for them?"

"Androids, unfortunately, are just as capable of heinous crimes as humans are. It's part of being alive, I suppose."

"And do you put them in jail just like humans?"

"We have separate holding cells for androids in custody. Mixing the two is not recommended."

"Probably not," Samantha agreed. As she spoke, they had finished rounding the block and the precinct building was coming up on them again. "I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me, Connor. I enjoyed it."

Connor had been enjoying it as well and didn't want it to end yet. "Would you like a tour of the building before you go?"

Samantha looked intrigued at the offer. "I'd love that, but is it okay?"

"Yes, public tours of the precinct are allowed. In fact, I personally gave a few tours this week to various classes of elementary school children."

Samantha laughed and Connor felt drawn to the sound in a way no other sound had affected him before. "Alright, I'm down for a personal tour. I'll be happy to get back into the air conditioning anyway."

Delighted, Connor opened the front doors for her and they walked inside. It was easier to go back to the script he had filed away for tours, but Connor wanted this to be special. He wanted to tell her in his own words. So he wrote his own script as he told her about the history of the building and the different departments it housed.

He had just barely started when he paused, as if listening to a voice only he could here. "Excuse me, I just received a notification. I have to assist my partner in locating some files, I'll be right back."

Samantha nodded and let him go. She waited by the wall in the lobby, politely looking around. Having nowhere else to be, she didn't mind waiting for Connor. Especially since she had been doing so well in meeting him. She hadn't been sure how she would handle being around the android that looked and sounded exactly like the one she had loved and tragically lost. She just knew she wanted to see him. And it was surprisingly easy.

Even though they had the same face, her heart knew better. He looked like Connor, but he wasn't _her_ Connor. He was a different man with his own life. One that he seemed to enjoy and take pride in. Seeing that mended the broken pieces inside her just a little.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" An unfamiliar male voice snuck up on her while she ruminated on the state of her heart. A man, only slightly taller than she, stood next to her. He was a bit scruffy, but not unclean. Samantha's gaze went directly to the subtle scar across his nose. "Are you Samantha Hall?"

"Yes," she said carefully, surprised.

"I thought so," he said, looking satisfied with his guess. "Hank said I'd know you by that hair."

"Hank? Have we...met before?"

"Uh, no. Hank—Lieutenant Anderson—is Connor's partner." He held out his hand in greeting. "Gavin Reed—Detective. I know about your case."

Samantha took the offered hand out of automatic reflex. His hands were big, fingers thick. His skin was calloused and rough to the touch. She only touched him briefly and as she pulled away, she realized how unfamiliar she was with touching a human man.

"Know what, exactly, about my case?" she asked with suspicion.

"I know your old man kidnapped you," the detective said. "I know what he was trying to do to you. I know you had an android, the exact kind we have here, and he was killed trying to protect you. My detective's hunch says that's why you're here talking to ours."

"I guess there's no secrets around here," Samantha confirmed. She was both impressed with what he knew, and irritated that a stranger knew so much.

"We only have a few detectives. Word gets around. Especially with a story as crazy as yours. The Feds immediately swooping in and making it all disappear just made it all that much more talked about. I wanted to see you for myself. Usually when the FBI disappears you, you don't come back."

Before Samantha could decide whether or not she would offer an explanation, Gavin continued.

"Well, looks like your chaperon is back. You have a nice day, Ms. Hall. Maybe I'll see you again." The detective walked past her and out the front doors of the building. In and out of her life so fast Samantha wasn't quite sure he was ever there at all.

Except Connor clearly had an eye on the detective as he left before returning his attention to her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. You were speaking with Detective Reed?"

"Briefly. He just introduced himself and then quickly showed himself out the door."

Connor narrowed his eyes with suspicion, glancing back to the doors. "That's all he said to you?"

"Yes. What do you think he would have said to me?"

He paused for a moment. "Nothing specific. I just wanted to make sure he was polite."

"Ah. Your Detective Reed is a dick sometimes, isn't he?" Samantha asked with a grin

"I don't know if 'sometimes' is the correct word."

She actually snorted. "I see. No, it was perfectly fine. Please." She motioned back the way Connor had come. "I'd love that tour now."

Connor was a delightful tour guide. Personable and knowledgeable about the history and the different departments that operated within the station he worked. He was even charming about it, and a little funny. Samantha wasn't always paying attention to the information, however. A few times she found herself drifting off, just listening to the tone of his voice. She missed hearing that voice; gentle and pragmatic. When she drifted off in nostalgia, her heart would start to ache and she would snap herself back to listening to Connor's presentation.

No, she would not allow herself to sink into loss and self-pity. She had climbed out of the miasma and she was not going back.

When Connor had finished his tour, Samantha was sorry to see it over, but she also knew she should go. She was taking up his day and she also knew she was not doing her damaged heart any favors by hanging around and pining for a man that was no longer alive. In her weakness she wanted to see the Connor of Detroit to remember that face, to hear that voice one more time. She had no pictures or videos of her Connor. She feared she was forgetting him.

But she also wanted to see this Connor to thank him for all he did. It warmed her heart to see him happy and a well-established member of society. This RK800 was able to do everything she had wanted for her RK800. She liked to think a tiny piece of her Connor lived in this one and his triumphs were both their triumphs. Seeing all this brought a quiet contentment to her. She could now leave this Connor to Detroit and be happy for him, knowing he was out here living his life as a normal person.

"Thank you so much," Samantha said as Connor escorted her back to the main doors. "It has been so great to see and talk with you. I really appreciate it."

Connor basked in the glow of her thanks, a feeling of satisfaction swelling in his chest. "It has been my pleasure. Thank you for coming to see me."

She nodded with a smile and turned to show herself out.

"Samantha."

When he called after her—when he said her full name, so much like her Connor—Samantha almost broke. She thought she had been doing so well. She fought to stay chipper on the outside as she glanced back to him.

"Would you mind if I had your number?" he asked. "I would like to talk with you again."

She shouldn't have. She should have given herself just this one encounter and let it be. There was heartache ahead if she stayed on this route.

"Sure! Do you need me to tell you or can you get it from my phone?"

"I have retrieved it now. I did not want to do so without your permission."

She smiled and nodded once more. Then she left, saying nothing further. No promises to see or talk to him again. Maybe this would be it. Maybe this was all it would be.

* * *

.

"How'd it go?" Hank asked when Connor returned to his desk. He probably already knew the answer with how chipper his android partner seemed as he sat.

"It was very nice," Connor said. "It was lovely to converse with her under more pleasant circumstances."

"Lovely, huh?" Hank asked with a chuckle. "So, how's she doing? Is she staying in Detroit for a while?"

Connor blinked with realization. "I'm not sure. I never asked."

Hank gave him a look. "You are full of dumb personal questions all day and you never asked her those basic things? What_ did _you ask her?"

"It was mostly her asking the questions. She wanted to know about my job."

"Your job?" Hank asked suspiciously. "Why was she asking questions about that?"

"I got the feeling she was genuinely curious what I did. She also asked if I liked it. When I told her I did, that made her smile. I think...I think she wanted to know if I was happy."

Hank continued to watch his idiot partner, chin resting on his palm. "Well, that was very nice of her. Too bad you don't have any fucking manners to think to ask the same."

"I guess you're right, Lieutenant. I should have asked. I'll remember next time."

"If there is a next time. That just might be the last you ever see her."

Connor furrowed his brows. It distressed him to think he would never see Samantha again after today. He hoped that wouldn't be the case.

* * *

.

The parking lot outside this precinct was particularly small and there had been nowhere to park when Samantha had pulled in earlier. A multi-level parking garage directly across the street seemed to be where most parked—police personnel included. Samantha didn't mind the extra walk. At least the parking lot had shade from the sweltering summer sun.

She was almost to her car when she heard that voice again.

"Samantha Hall."

She turned and saw the man from earlier. Detective Reed. She immediately felt like he was following her, which was unnerving. Especially since Connor had indicated he didn't trust this man. A quick glance around the parking lot, Samantha didn't see anyone else, which made her more uneasy.

"Hello...again," she said guardedly.

"I was waiting for you," Gavin said. "Figured you were parked in here somewhere."

"Why?" she asked, openly suspicious.

"I know you're not a normal human. They made you in a lab?"

That was not the answer she expected to hear. Her face went hot in response. How did he find out? She was afraid to answer or ask any questions. This guy was a detective, he was no doubt more wily than her when it came to extracting information from a person.

Gavin continued when she didn't respond. "I have a friend in the Bureau. I called and told him you were at my precinct."

"Making sure it's okay that I'm out among the regular people?" she found herself saying with irritation. "You really are a dick."

He raised a brow at her. "Connor tell you that?"

"I don't hear you denying it."

"I'm not." He took a few steps closer. Samantha tried to back up, but she was blocked by her car. "So, I told my friend you were here, and he responded 'Oh, the clone girl?' I asked him what he meant by that and he told me he shouldn't have said that and then the fucking idiot hung up on me."

There was a heavy silence between them. This time, Gavin waited for her to speak.

"So, what do you want from me?" Samantha asked. She tried to keep herself steady, but she was shaking. No one outside the facility—and then the FBI—ever knew that about her, not even her friends back in Chicago. Calvin and Jace, Angela and Derek now knew that her father had kidnapped his daughter with the intent of harvesting her heart to extend his own life, but they had no idea she was a synthetic creation by her father for that reason.

Gavin didn't come any closer. Surprisingly, he did not look too concerned about the information he had. "I was hoping you would tell me more about it. Do you eat?"

That question threw her for another loop. She blinked, mentally trying to keep up with him. "You're asking if I...eat?" She was almost offended. Of course she ate. What did this guy think she was that she didn't eat?

He shoved his hands in his jean pockets, leaning against another car. "You look like you haven't had a decent meal in months. I thought I could buy you a burger and you could tell me about yourself. Or Chinese? Pasta? Whatever you like. You pick."

When Samantha did nothing but stare silently, he shrugged his shoulders. "Come on, everyone's gotta eat. Let me feed you. You look like you could be blown over by a strong breeze."

Samantha glanced down at herself. It was true. She was probably the thinnest she had ever been. She was better when Connor was with her, eating well and putting on weight back in October. When he was gone, she tried so hard to continue as he would have wanted. She would often ask herself 'If Connor could see how I'm doing, would he be happy?' She did her best to keep that answer as a yes. But it was hard as her verve drained without him and food lost its taste.

"It's only two-thirty," was all she managed in the form of a protest.

"I'll meet you at six, pick a place. I'll be there and I will listen to whatever you want to tell me, for as long as you want."

Samantha would have stumbled back, but the car was still there, preventing her from any form of retreat. She could not read this guy. Everything that came out of his mouth surprised her. And that invitation, the way he worded it, made her heart flutter, then ache. It made her want to agree.

"Look," Gavin tried again. "I get it, even though I'm a cop, I'm still a stranger. If you feel safer with an android, I can bring—"

"No." Samantha quickly cut him off. No more androids. Especially if he was going to bring Connor. She had been happy to see him, but once was enough for one day. She didn't think her heart could handle him again so soon. "No, it's fine. We can go eat. But I don't know where anything is here."

Gavin jerked his thumb to the right. "Down that road four blocks is an Olive Garden, how's that?"

She couldn't believe this was coming out of her mouth, but Samantha said, "Okay. I will meet you there at six."

* * *

.

Before she went to the precinct, Samantha wondered if she would end up crying that day. When she returned to her hotel room, she curled up on the bed and cried just a little. Only a few sniffles and a tear or two. She kept reminding herself she was happy. Seeing the Detroit Connor who had risked his life to help her—seeing that he was treated well, living a normal life—made her happy. It was what she wanted to see when she came looking for him.

To have a real conversation with him soothed her soul. He was kind and seemed so sweet. She wanted to think a piece of her Connor's soul would carry on with him. Having had fully met him, the last RK800 in the world, Samantha could now move on with her life.

She supposed she would start by going out to see this detective. Though she wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a date or an interrogation. She knew when a man was attracted to her. They had a specific look to them. This Detective Reed didn't have that look. It was more like how the federal agents had looked at her. Like she was a case to study, a puzzle to solve. Though, Samantha had to admit, the detective also looked at her like she was a person. Even with what he knew about her. That couldn't always be said about the various agents she met.

Around five, Samantha began to get herself ready for dinner. She had dressed nice to visit Connor, but she still changed for the evening into another summer dress that she hadn't sweated in. She refreshed her makeup and did her hair a little nicer than it had been earlier. It was okay if this wasn't a date. Samantha didn't even know this person more than his name and job title. But it was nice to have a reason to dress up and go out.

* * *

.

The detective was there at the restaurant waiting for her. He looked up from his phone when she approached.

"So, you did show up," he said as he stood. He had changed his clothes since she saw him last. The t-shirt and faded jeans were replaced with a button-up shirt rolled up to the elbows and a newer pair of pants. Maybe this could be a little date-ish. Samantha decided she would have no expectations either way.

"If I had no intention of meeting, I would have told you," she informed him.

He seemed pleased with that answer. He was like her; a person who appreciated a frank discussion.

The two were shown to a table. Samantha glanced at the detective over her menu. He was clearly rough around the edges, but she was used to gruff men. She had been surrounded by them all her life.

"Will you tell me about yourself, Detective Reed? I don't know anything about you."

"You can call me Gavin," he said, not looking up from his menu. He scratched at the scruff on his jawline. "What do you want to know?"

"Tell me about being with the police department."

"Became a cop in my early twenties. Had a fire lit under my ass to make homicide detective. Thought it would be a super badass job. When I made detective, there wasn't any opening in homicide. So I did narcotics for a few years, a short stint in vice. Then finally caught an opening in homicide and been there ever since. Been doing it for about eight years or so."

"And is it a super badass job?"

Gavin looked up at her. "It's a job that puts miles on you, and it can be dangerous. You see the absolute worst things one person could possibly do to another. But, yeah, it is a pretty badass job."

She gave him a bit of a smile and then returned to her menu. "So, are you married? Single? Dating?"

"Single and somewhat dating. No one seriously at the moment. You?"

"Single, not dating. Just...trying to figure out what to do with myself right now."

"You're from Chicago, right? You still live there?"

"Kinda. More like I've been floating around; looking for somewhere to plant myself."

"Like Detroit?"

Samantha gave a small frown. "I really don't know. I just came as a tourist."

"How long you staying?"

"I don't know. A few days maybe."

"So, how'd you get yourself a Connor?" Gavin then asked. "Or, whatever you called your android. I thought we were the only one's unlucky enough to be plagued with one."

Samantha made a sound through her nose. "Mine was a Connor, too. They were both Connors. They came from the same core program with the same memories."

"So, they're clones, too. Just like you—"  
Gavin stopped when Samantha glanced up at him with silent warning in her eyes. He closed his mouth just as the waiter came and took their orders. Then he settled his gaze on her, resting his chin on his enfolded fingers.

"Tell me," he said simply. There was no demand in his tone.

"Tell you what?"

"Whatever you want to tell me. I'm listening."

Samantha watched him silently for a moment. Ever since Connor died—no, even before that. Since they fled the facility, her world had felt like it was spinning out of control. Time raced forward, moving faster than she could keep up. It felt like it would never stop long enough for her to think, for her to get herself together, to figure out her life.

But for that moment, with this stranger watching her, willing to listen, the seconds slowed to normal. There was order and room to breathe while he was there, watching her. Waiting patiently.

"Connor was purchased from Cyberlife to be my bodyguard. This was back in January of last year."

Gavin then looked like he wasn't quite sure he believed her. "Why would you need a bodyguard?"

"In the summer before we got Connor, I was attacked by a group of men. I was hurt pretty bad."

Before the detective could ask for clarification, Samantha offered both hands to him across the table. She didn't know why she was compelled to do this. She still hadn't even told Angela or Calvin about it. She never let her friends touch her; only Connor. And now, for some reason, this nosy, asshole detective.

She watched him hesitate at the offer. Maybe he didn't want to touch her since he knew what she was. A synthetic human. A creature made in a lab. Did that make her repulsive to him? Would that repel any human man?

After a pause, he scooped her hands up in his. His hands were rough and much larger than hers, but his touch was gentle. He was not repulsed to be in contact with her. He was very curious when he felt that one hand was not flesh. Carefully, his fingers pressed at her wrist, then further up inch by inch, feeling how far the prosthetic went as Samantha would not remove the synthetic skin. He didn't make it up to the elbow before releasing her. He sat back in his hair.

"People did that to you?" he asked with a frown. "Why?"

"Samantha Hall—the original Samantha—was born with special properties in her blood. It could heal people with certain diseases if she gave them a transfusion. It helped with medical research in finding more cures for these diseases. Her blood was worth a lot of money. Worth bio-engineering another Samantha when she died. Worth stealing an entire human being."

"Someone tried," Gavin said. He was very good at leading her forward, keeping her talking. Samantha was aware of this, but complied anyway.

"The first time, they took my arm from the elbow down. The second time, I had Connor and they left with nothing, not even their lives."

He tried to school his expression, but his brows still rose a little in surprise. Gavin sat back in his chair and rubbed at his scruff again. Samantha watched him, wondering what it felt like to touch it. Connor's face was completely smooth. No hair anywhere aside from that on his head.

"You want ours?" Gavin suddenly asked. "He's a pain in the ass. If it was up to me, you could have him."

Samantha looked down at the table and smiled. "I didn't come here to take him, I just wanted to see him. I had hoped he was doing well. Though he doesn't seem to like you."

"I don't like him," Gavin said matter-of-factly.

"It made me happy to see him living a normal life. I had always wanted that for my Connor. I wanted him to be treated like a person, not like a thing that someone owned. Not living a life where he existed by the good graces of one man who threatened to kill him and melt him down if he didn't fall in line. He never truly had that life like your Connor has. We tried, but we didn't make it that far before he—before they killed him."

They were interrupted as the waiter returned with their plates of steaming hot pasta. Samantha's eyes had watered as she spoke and she quickly wiped them dry again. She was suddenly hungry from all that talk as she looked down at her full plate.

"Sounds like you ended up with the better Connor," Gavin said dryly.

Samantha would have laughed, but her mouth was full of food. She chewed and swallowed. "I wouldn't disagree with you. He was my only friend for a long time—my best friend. I loved him so much and I miss him every day. I am so thankful your Connor is out there, learning how to be his own person, living his own life. The world feels...softer with him in it."

Gavin narrowed his eyes at her, watching her carefully. "Softer," he repeated. "You were in love with that android, weren't you?"

Samantha felt her cheeks warm, though she was used to it. Certain federal agents gave her similar looks of disdain when they realized how she measured the loss of her android. She knew there were others in similar android/human relationships that had been treated much worse than a mere dirty look because of how they lived.

"I told you, I loved him."

"You some sort of technophile? I bet you were fucking that android, weren't you?" Gavin asked as he stabbed his food with his fork and then shoved a bite in his mouth.

There was a small corner of her that appreciated Detective Reed's bluntness. Being with Connor and his unfiltered thoughts made her decide she liked it when people were up front with her. But this guy really was an asshole.

"I lived in a clean, orderly torture chamber while the man who said he was my father knew he was going to eventually kill me. Connor was the only one who saw it. Or, at least, he was the only one who saw it and knew it was wrong. No one else in that place gave a shit if I died, as long as I died for their purposes. Connor got me out. He saved my life so many times. He died trying to protect me from those horrible people.

"I fell in love with him because he cared and I had never truly felt that before. It had absolutely nothing to do with him being android or human. I just loved him for the person that he was." In the following silence she added, "And I think it's more accurate to say that _he_ fucked _me_."

Gavin promptly choked on his food and Samantha watched with satisfaction as he fought through a few heaving coughs.

After taking a drink and clearing his throat, Gavin said, "Fair enough. What do you mean by 'torture chamber?'"

Samantha admitted maybe that was a bit of a dramatic thing to say, then she told him about the facility. Once it started, it all came pouring out. She told him about the labs, all the samples they took from her on a too-often regular basis. She told him about the time she lost her arm, and about when those same people came back and Connor protected her. She told him about how she and Connor fled the facility in the middle of the night and also how Connor had saved the androids at the deactivation camp in Chicago. She also spoke of how she was tricked into going back and how she lost the man she loved when he had tried to save her.

She talked so much, Gavin had to remind her to eat. Though Samantha still left many things out. She didn't tell him about her romance with Connor, she didn't talk about her friends in Chicago other than mentioning that they existed. Her personal relationships she kept private. But she cared not about keeping the Hall Foundation's secrets. Let this detective do what he wanted with this information. It felt good to say it out loud to somebody. It was surprisingly cathartic and Samantha felt a little bit of the weight in her chest lift as the words fell out of her mouth unfiltered.

Gavin spoke little while she unloaded, other than a few leading questions to keep her talking. He was true to his word. He stayed and listened until she told him all she wanted to tell him. Then the meal was over and they packed up for the night.

After telling him so much, Samantha wasn't sure what to say to him now as they walked out of the restaurant. He had been so neutral the entire time. She had no idea what he thought about it all.

"Thank you for dinner," she said as they stepped out into the night.

The side of his mouth ticked up a little. "You're welcome. Though I'm honestly surprised you came. Why did you decide to tell me all that?"

Samantha stood on the curb, looking at the parked cars. She glanced up at the sky. "I guess there's a certain romance to telling your secrets to a person you will most likely never see again. Have a good night."

She made it a few paces to her car before he called after her.

"Samantha."

She turned to look back at him.

"Do you like video games?"

* * *

.

"Wait. Wait. I lost you. Where did you go? Where am I?"

"You're fine. Just keep going straight. I'll wait for you."

Samantha made a worried sound. "I can't get these stupid controls to do what I want. I keep looking up at the sky. I can't move!"

"The right one is to move, the left is to look around."

"I'm not good at this!"

Gavin glanced at her side of the screen. "No kidding." The camera was spinning everywhere.

Samantha suddenly cried out and panicked, flipping all the joysticks. "They got me! Zombies! Zombies! What do I do?"

"You have to keep walking or they're catch you." Gavin turned his character around to offer assistance and saw Samantha's character in the distance, a with a zombie on its back. The character spun in circles, shooting wildly at the sky while Samantha screamed.

Gavin burst out laughing. He was laughing so hard he had trouble controlling his own player as he fired on the whole ridiculous scene.

"Well, thanks for at least putting me out of my misery," Samantha said as he killed all the zombies along with her character.

"You're still going. You'll come back as a zombie now."

"What?"

"Yeah, when you die, you come back as a zombie. Now you can go after the other live players."

"Oh, you better watch out then. I'll have my revenge!"

Gavin glanced at her with a grin. "Yeah, I'm not worried about it."

She laughed. Gavin appreciated that she was being a good sport. She was way worse than any of his sisters' kids. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that this was her first time playing a video game _ever_. There was a lot about her he was still trying to wrap his head around.

Thinking of this woman as a clone made in a lab was still very abstract and hard to believe when he was first told about her. But as they spent time together, the reality of what she was began to settle on him. He wasn't sure why he had asked her back to his place, even more unsure as to why she agreed. But she had that look; a look he was long used to.

As both a beat cop and a detective, Gavin had seen all sorts of victims. He knew the look of someone who had survived something horrible; of those who were harmed by people they trusted or people in places of power. She had that look. And he also had a feeling that when he let her go for the night, she would be going back to nothing. The part of him that lived to serve and protect wasn't ready to do that yet. Subconsciously, he decided to keep her company as long as she wanted it.

So they played games and laughed together. Gavin never checked the time. But when Samantha looked at her phone she said, "Wow, it's so much later than I thought it was. I should go to bed."

Gavin said nothing as he watched her gather her things. If she decided their time together was over, he would let her go. He followed her to the door and she hesitated instead of seeing herself out.

"This was fun," she told him. "Honestly, I'm still not sure why all this happened, but I had a good time."

"Just me being a nosy detective," he replied casually. "It's part of my job."

She smiled at him. "I bet. It was very nice to meet you, Gavin."

"Same," he agreed. It was mostly habit with how touchy and huggy his family was. He opened his arms as an invitation. He watched her hesitate, then step into him and he put his arms around her.

She made a small noise.

"What?" he asked.

"I've never been hugged by a human before," she said into his shoulder. "You're softer. It's nice."

Softer. Softer than an android. Jesus. He felt her timidly hug him back with a light touch, as if not sure if he would want her to. Gavin held her tighter. An entire life without physical human contact. He couldn't even imagine.

He let her pull away first—which seemed far too soon than she should have needed—but she remained in his space. Their noses nearly brushed. Gavin didn't think, merely moved on instinct in response to the moment. He brushed his lips against hers. At the same time, he wondered why he did. She hadn't given him any indication she wanted it.

Yet, she let the kiss linger between them, even following his mouth a little as he pulled away. They looked at each other, both a bit surprised. She was nothing like his type. Gavin liked his women curvy, tanned and fiery. Samantha was none of these things. But as a grungy, thirty-six year old cop, he would also be an idiot to change his mind about the leggy twenty-something redhead already in his apartment.

He kissed her again and she responded with more enthusiasm, pressing in and gripping his shirt. He cupped her face to control the kiss, kissing her deeper. Her response was a soft, needy noise that had him moving her bodily against the wall. He pressed his thigh between her legs and she made an even sweeter, desperate sound. A life of only being touched by a living Ken doll would do that.

So she wanted a good fuck with an actual man. Gavin would be happy to provide. It wasn't the first, nor would it be the last time he had brought a girl over just for that. He grabbed her thighs, hoisting her up so she could wrap her legs around him. She ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed his way down the side of her throat.

"You like that?" he growled. "You want it dirty? I'll fuck you good and hard, baby."

"What?" she immediately pulled back, pushing away. "Ew, no."

Gavin set her down as she tried to get away from him. In a blink, he already received the message. Most girls he met at the clubs were looking for that quick, one-night fling. They were down to party, to have dirty things growled in their ears while they were mindlessly fucked. People who met like that were looking to scratch an itch.

He didn't meet Samantha that way and Gavin had momentarily forgotten there were other ways to be intimate with a woman.

"Sorry, my mistake," he said, raising his hands. "I thought you'd be into it, but I'm clearly an idiot."

She didn't say anything. Didn't yell at him, but didn't forgive him either. This woman who had only been touched by androids. What the hell was he thinking, talking to her like that?

"Will you let me try again? You're also welcome to leave if you're not comfortable. I just don't want you to leave mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you," she said, though she was frowning.

Frowning women were Gavin's weakness. He knew it was stupid, but he liked it when they were a little irritated with him. He liked kissing those frowns, deftly coaxing them into something else.

He cupped her chin with his thumb and forefinger. She didn't pull away when he kissed her again, soft and lingering this time. At first, she merely took the kiss. He put his arms around her and she melted against him. This was what she wanted. A girl like her wanted to feel safe and protected with a man. He could do that. They kissed slowly, tasting each other. Gavin took his time touching her, feeling the shape of her over her thin summer dress.

Her hands settled on the hem of his shirt and she paused. Gavin had never been with a woman who was so hesitant to touch. She seemed to worry that he didn't want her to, despite the earlier statement that he would definitely fuck her if she was down.

He put his hands on hers and found they were shaking. "Do you want to go to the bedroom?"

Again, she held back for a moment. "Yes," she finally said.

Gavin took her hand and led her to the back room. The living room light was left on, streaming a dim glow into the bedroom. That was all the light they used as they met for another kiss. Gavin eased her onto the bed, crawling over her as she slid up the mattress. He sat back on his heels, helping her with her decision this time by removing his shirt himself.

He next went for his belt, but paused when he felt her touch his chest.

"You have so many scars," she marveled as she fingered one mark, then another.

Most women thought his scars were cool, if they were noticed at all. Samantha looked saddened at their presence. She brushed her lips against a particularly long cut that ran over his left pectoral. Gavin grunted and moved away, gripping her wrist.

She looked up at him with questioning eyes, but he couldn't let her do that. He could so easily fall for a woman who wanted to kiss all his scars and he was determined not to. Instead, he distracted her with kisses of his own. He brushed his lips down her neck. His tongue dipped into the hollow of her throat and she shuddered.

His hand roamed her thigh, sliding her dress up. She helped him remove it and tossed it to the side. Gavin cupped her rib cage, slipping his thumb under her bra to tease a pert nipple. He watched her as she closed her eyes and gave a small hiss. She liked that. He wondered if her android ever did that to her. Either way, he was going to show her what sex with an actual man was like.

He removed her bra and pressed her to the bed, his mouth giving attention to the other breast. She arched into it, fingers scratching his scalp and keeping his head in place. His hand slid down her stomach and into her panties where he rubbed her firmly with the rough pads of his fingers. She let out a sharp cry, bucking her hips and parting her thighs. Two fingers pressed inside while the other hand rubbed the neglected nipple. His mouth went to nip at the sensitive skin behind her ear.

"Ah! Oh God!" she cried.

Gavin chuckled darkly into her ear. No, whatever her android was doing for her, it wasn't like this. "Relax, Babe, I've got you." As his fingers worked her, he breathed onto her skin, felt her shudder when he rubbed his scruff against her neck. Her skin was softer than any woman he had ever touched. Unweathered by time, by life. And she smelled amazing. God, he could get lost in that scent.

The noises she made, too, were intoxicating. She was so responsive to every touch. She lost her android in November. Had it really been six months for her? He was going to make sure she got it so good for waiting this long.

"Come on, Baby," he urged, his voice husky and rough. He rubbed her expertly with his fingers, stretching her. "You're doing so good. Crash for me, I want to watch you."

She bit her full bottom lip, meeting his gaze which caused heat to shoot straight through him. He rubbed her firmer, faster. Her eyes slammed shut and she cried out. Her hand caught his wrist, but he would not allow her any control. He went exactly at the pace he wanted.

"You're almost there. You can do it." He added his thumb to apply pressure to that sensitive external bundle of nerves.

She whimpered into his neck as she came, her muscles tightening all around him. He stilled his fingers as she rode her high, letting her muscles flutter around him before removing them. He left her panting on the bed as he sat up and set about removing his pants, which were definitely feeling a bit tight now. She kicked off her panties, leaving them both nude.

Gavin leaned in to kiss her and she was more than ready to receive him. They made out hot and heavy, hands hungrily roaming each other. Samantha eased him around, climbing up to straddle his thighs. She placed a hand on his chest and he let her push him down on the bed. He watched with amusement when she glanced down at his erection. Probably never saw one before. She was certainly welcome to look—and touch—all she wanted.

Samantha, instead, sat herself upon him and he groaned as she rubbed against him.

"Shit, we need a condom," he suddenly remembered, reaching for the nightstand.

"I can't get pregnant," she informed him. "Any other reason we'd need it?"

Gavin emphatically shook his head. Goddamn. He couldn't remember the last time a chick told him it was okay to go without. Did he even remember what sex without the rubber felt like?

Still rubbing on him, Samantha leaned forward and nuzzled the scruff on his jaw. Her fingernails scratched at the stubble, learning the texture. The pads of her fingers trailed down, feeling his Adam's apple move as he swallowed. He wondered what the hell she was doing, but at the same time, was content to let her touch him where she wanted as long as she kept rubbing herself on him like that. Gavin was a man who didn't mind taking his time in bed. He could abide a slow ride as long as he got there in the end.

Her fingers wandered to experience his chest hair next, then a bit of the bones and muscle structure of his chest and shoulders. She rubbed her thumb over his nipple and he saw the wonder in her face when he flinched and grunted at the stimulation. She had stopped moving against him now, watching the flutter of his stomach muscles, then pressing a palm to his chest to feel his heartbeat.

He was about to say something when she leaned forward and kissed the scar on his nose. His heart tumbled at the simple act. God dammit. He was putting an end to this shit right now.

He cupped her head, distracting her with a kiss before rolling them over and putting himself back in control. He slid inside her, taking personal satisfaction from her gasp. All her limbs wrapped around him as he began thrusting, slow at first. When her cries hitched, when her heels dug into him, spurring him on, he increased the power of his hips. He thrust into her solid, deep. And holy fuck, she was so tight, so hot. He gripped the headboard with a growl to control himself. Some women liked their man to go wild and rough on them. This one was too soft and gentle. Why did she keep consenting to a man like him?

He dropped more of his weight on top of her, enfolding her in his arms and pressing his face to her neck. The body beneath him tightened and her breath hitched. He was so close. He held out until she was there with him. He came a few seconds after she did with a relieved, shaky breath. Samantha's fingers were still tangled in his hair, clutching him to her.

She hadn't made much noise, mostly just whimpers and gasps. It was kind of hot. Gavin rested his face between her breasts as his heart slowed. So soft. He couldn't imagine even angels being this soft. As she continued to stroke his hair, he sighed in absolute contentment.

Shouldn't get too comfortable. With all the will he could muster, Gavin removed himself from her. They lay on the bed side by side, watching the ceiling. In the stillness between them, Samantha let out a long, heavy breath of relief.

"What's that for?" Gavin asked.

She shook her head. "It's nothing. I just...I was starting to wonder if I was even capable of having an intimate connection with another human."

Gavin's eyes widened. God fucking dammit.

* * *

.

They were both so quiet. Samantha didn't know what to say. What kind of pillow talk did one use with a person they had only known for a day? She was sure Gavin knew more about this than she, but he wasn't doing or saying anything. He was as motionless as a statue next to her. She couldn't even hear him breathing.

She thought about touching him. She had liked touching a human man. There were times she had wondered if she would like it. But it was fun. She wished he would have let her explore a bit more, but maybe he wasn't as into her touching him as she was.

"You can stay the night if you like," Gavin's voice spoke in the stillness. She turned her head in his direction. He continued to watch the ceiling. "I'll feed you breakfast in the morning. I make hella good pancakes."

"Detective Reed, I feel like you keep trying to postpone my departure just so you can continue feeding me."

He chuckled and was about to reply when there was a solid knock on his door. Samantha stiffened, pawing for the blankets to cover herself.

"The hell?" Gavin wondered in a grouchy voice. He dug around on the floor and pulled on a pair of sweat pants. "Stay here, I'm sure it's nothing."

Thankfully, he did close the door most of the way before walking out into the still-lit living room. But when Samantha heard him speaking with another male voice, she decided it was time to fetch her clothes.

She walked out fully dressed, pausing to retrieve her shoes from where she left them by the couch. She knew she was noticed when the discussion abruptly stopped.

"Hey, you don't have to leave," Gavin called to her.

"Aren't you leaving?" she replied as she put on her shoes. "Sounds like you've got somewhere important to be."

"Yeah, I gotta go to a crime scene, but you can stay. I'll be back later and we'll still do breakfast in the morning."

Samantha's response was cut off when she looked up at the person who was at the door. "Con-"

Even before she could finish his name, she knew it wasn't Connor. They had the same face, but this android was different. His stance was straighter, broader. His pale eyes were gorgeous, but held no life in them. The voice she heard was nothing like Connor's. His was gentle, smokey. This android had a deeper voice, but it was sharp, sterile. Though not necessarily unpleasant to the ear.

"Samantha, this is Nines, my partner," Gavin said. "Nines, Samantha Hall."

She wasn't sure if she heard right. "_Nines_?"

"I am an RK900 model," the android introduced. "'Nines' is how Detective Reed refers to me as a nick-name."

"What about a _real_ name?"

The RK900 did not respond.

"You sure you're gonna go?" Gavin asked. "My place is open as long as you want to use it."

"Yes, I'm going to leave. Thank you, Detective Reed, I had a fun time tonight."

"You can call me Gavin," he reminded as she opened the door for herself. "Do you want to give me your number? We could do it again sometime."

She threw a cheeky smile at him. "And ruin the romance of that one-night stand with a handsome stranger? Never." And with that, she whisked out the door.

It was now quiet and felt somewhat empty in the apartment without her.

"Detective Reed," Nines informed him, "I have taken her number from her phone if you require it."

"My man," Gavin grinned and gave his android partner a fist bump.

* * *

.

Samantha took the liberty of walking herself to her car, despite the very late hour. She was sure the detective would oblige if she asked for an escort, but she wasn't about to ruin that exit. She couldn't help but smile to herself the entire way. It really was a fun night. She honestly wasn't sure she had it in her to have fun and play again. She never thought she was the kind of person to have sex with a near stranger. But that, connecting with another person, was fun, too.

Maybe she could make it on her own as a functional adult after all.

After sitting herself in the car, she pulled out her phone to inquire of the GPS how to get back to her hotel. She found she had a new text message.

It was, to her great surprise, from Connor.

_Hello Samantha, this is Connor. If you are still in Detroit tomorrow, would you like to meet again?_

She smiled to herself as she could hear his voice in her head as she read the text. Meeting the RK900 made her miss that usual Connor voice. That voice sounded like home. A home that didn't exist anymore. Her home was not this Connor and it would be unfair to use him as a surrogate for what she had lost. He wasn't hers and he did not owe her anything.

So then why did he want to see her again?

Samantha put down the phone and turned on the car. It was far too late for this. She would decide on an answer in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2: Synthetic in Nature

**.**

**Stay with me**

**Chapter Two: Synthetic in Nature**

Connor was there waiting for her at the entrance when she arrived. Samantha almost missed him completely. She felt dumb expecting him to be wearing his usual blue and gray blazer on his day off. Even dumber when she realized she had been blind to the extremely loud flower print he wore on his button-up shirt. She had a feeling he hadn't picked that out for himself.

"Samantha, thank you for agreeing to meet," Connor said politely. "I am very pleased to see you again."

He looked very pleased. She couldn't help but smile at him.

"Always a pleasure to be in your company," she replied. To which he looked even more pleased. Samantha had a feeling she might do nothing but flatter this android all day. She had been terrible about it with her Connor as well. It was just too much fun to see such a happy and satisfied RK800.

Connor insisted on purchasing tickets for them both since he had been the one to invite her. Samantha had to remind herself that Connor was both employed and earned wages for his work. Having an android pay for her was a first. He didn't need to, but he looked absolutely tickled to be able to do so. How great for him to feel that. Samantha wouldn't dream of taking it away from him.

Connor had invited her to the opening the Cyberlife Zoo—the first zoo of its kind. Here, all the animals were machines. Creating android versions of animals had been a back-burner project for Cyberlife. Merely something they tinkered with now and again. But with the government mandating they were no longer allowed to create any new human androids, Cyberlife had no choice but to turn its attention to this desperate effort to continue to bring in revenue for the company. And as such, the Cyberlife logo was everywhere.

"You look very pretty today, by the way," Connor said while Samantha consulted the brochure and map they were handed at the gate. "You also looked pretty yesterday. I forgot to tell you."

She looked up with a smile. "Well, if we're going back to yesterday, I really liked your jacket. It's cute. It looked good on you."

"And today?" he pressed playfully.

She laughed and tugged on the untucked hem of his shirt. "Today, this caught me off guard. But it's fun to see you dressed like this. I like it."

"Hank took me shopping for clothes. I admit, I still haven't figured out my own sense of style outside of work. Hank picks out most of my things."

Samantha grinned. She figured as much, though she didn't say so out loud. "My Connor struggled with developing his own opinions as well. Though dressing himself wasn't as difficult for him. He had a very solid sense of what he _didn't_ want to wear, that was for sure. Maybe start with that. Eliminate the things you know you don't like to help you find all the things you do like."

"Interesting. Thank you for the advice. I'll try that."

Right near the entrance was a large penguin exhibit. The two stopped to watch. The place was very crowded, but they managed to get a glimpse. The androids looked and moved just like penguins as they waddled and swam around. They didn't even have LEDs. It seemed Cyberlife was going for as authentic as they could get.

"They move like penguins, but they all seem to be on various behavior loops," Connor told her after a moment. "If you can focus on one, you'll see it goes through the same actions."

"Way to ruin the magic," Samantha shot back.

Connor looked crestfallen and she laughed. "Sorry, I was teasing. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

He looked hesitant, but then tentatively smiled back.

_Okay, no teasing this Connor_, she told herself. _Just because he's an RK800, doesn't mean he's exactly like yours. He's a stranger. Don't treat him so familiar. It's probably weird to him._

They went to a few more exhibits and Connor remained quiet. Samantha worried she hurt his feelings. She tried to think of something to get him talking again.

"Connor, what do you think of a zoo full of machine animals? Do you think it's a good idea?"

He blinked at her, then looked thoughtful. "I have read articles on the idea. Those from an animal rights perspective are very happy about it. Wild animals should be left to the wild. A zoo is not a kind place to keep them. This will allow the public to educate themselves about the world's wildlife without placing actual animals in cages."

"I don't disagree with that, but why make a zoo full of normal zoo animals when you can make a robot of anything you want?"

Connor's LED flickered to yellow. Samantha had greatly missed watching an LED on an android. Very few wore them anymore.

"I'm sorry, Samantha, I don't understand what you mean."

"I mean why stick with penguins and bears and chimpanzees when the sky is the limit? If I were Cyberlife, I would have started with extinct species of animals first, like the dodo bird or the Tasmanian tiger. And why stop there? What about the saber-tooth tiger or the woolly mammoth? What about dinosaurs? Or even cryptids? If people are paying to see robot monkeys, imagine what they'll pay to see the Loch Ness Monster or big foot?

"And why keep the animals in exhibits? They're robots, right? Why not let them wander the grounds and have people touch their robotic tigers and elephants. Seems like a waste in potential to me."

"Those are very interesting ideas, Samantha." Connor then paused, looking worried. "Does that mean you would rather not have come here?"

She quickly shook her head at him. "No, not at all! I'm very glad you invited me. I would have been happy to have gone anywhere with you." She paused. "I mean, I think we would have fun anywhere. And I had never been to any zoo so I'm enjoying it. I just thought it would be an interesting topic to talk about."

Samantha was wincing on the inside. She kept saying things that seemed to hurt Connor's feelings. She was so bad at this. She really had to stop talking so familiar to him.

"You would have been happy to go anywhere with me?" Connor asked, his LED flickering blue.

Maybe she hadn't hurt his feelings as much as she thought.

"Yes," she said honestly. "I enjoy your company. I was happy to see you again."

He smiled at her. It was adorable. It hurt her heart to remember how cutely an RK800 could smile. Though this Connor, his smile was a little tight, a little adorkably odd. Her Connor had a more natural smile. It reminded her that the two RK800s were not the same person. Good. She needed that reminder.

The rest of the day went smoother. The two settled into enjoying the exhibits and learning about the actual animals the robotic creatures mimicked. Samantha enjoyed the learning. Her world was so small. She had never been to school and only had access to the internet for a handful of months. She could function as a well-versed adult in the world, but there were still so many things she didn't know. Animals were definitely one of those things

"Samantha," Connor suddenly said while they looked at the zebras. "How are you?"

She furrowed her brow at the random question and looked at Connor.

"Hank informed me that I was selfish about taking over the conversation we had yesterday," Connor explained. "He said it was rude of me to not ask how you were. I would like to rectify that."

She made a sound of amusement. "You weren't rude at all. I enjoyed hearing all about you. It was the reason I came to see you."

"I see. But I would still like to ask, if I may. I would like to know more about you as well. How are you, Samantha?"

She wasn't sure what to say for a moment. She could say so many things. Instead, she smiled brightly at him. "I'm doing just fine. Thanks for asking."

* * *

.

As she walked off, Connor felt tricked somehow. He wasn't sure exactly what type of response he was expecting, but certainly something more genuine and informative. Where he had been distracted by the pleasing aura of Samantha's presence the day before, today he had his wits about him and his investigative mode was activated.

"How long do you plan to stay in Detroit?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe another day or two. I wanted to see the city."

"Did you come alone? It can be dangerous to travel by yourself."

"I've spent most of my time in the company of the police," she told him with a wink. "I think I've been pretty safe."

"And where will you return when you're finished in Detroit? Where is home for you?"

She paused, considering her answer. She could have given another glib, short response, but she didn't. "I live in Chicago, but it's not home. My home was never a place." She leaned her arms on the rail, watching the camels. "Home was Connor. Without him, I haven't thought of anyplace as home yet."

Connor understood the concept of 'home' to humans, though he had never considered the concept of someone's home being another person. "Maybe you went out looking for it," he suggested. "Maybe you'll find it here."

Connor's complex programming could identify quite a myriad of various human emotions by facial expression. But when Samantha looked at him, he wasn't sure what it meant. It seemed to be a mixture of surprise and sorrow. Her eyes were so big and soulful. He found himself trapped in them before she looked away.

"I'm...not sure about that," she mumbled as she walked off to the next exhibit.

Connor followed close behind. "I'm sorry if that upset you. It was none of my business."

She paused and turned to him, but wouldn't look him in the face. "It's okay, I know how you are."

"How I am?"

"How RK800s are." She met his gaze. "You are very blunt and nosy."

He blinked in response, his LED flickering. "I suppose you're not wrong."

That answer earned him a little smile as Samantha moved on.

In the distance, back toward the entrance of the park, Connor picked up the sounds of discordant voices. This might be a problem. His programming urged him to find the source and identify any danger. But Samantha was with him. She clearly heard the noise as well as she gazed in the same direction. He had a responsibility not to lead her into danger.

"Will you please wait here for me?" he asked.

She looked at him for a moment before saying. "Um...sure..."

Connor didn't think she sounded so sure, but he preferred to keep her from any possible harm. "Thank you. I'll return soon."

He didn't want to leave her. He preferred being in her presence than being away from her; this person he had only met three times now. He had not been aware of how empty the space beside him was until Samantha Hall came into his life. But the need to make sure there was nothing that could hurt her overrode the urge to stay at her side.

Up ahead, a congregation of bodies had congested the area near the front gates of the zoo. Most of the voices were drowning each other out. Connor picked out "Can someone get security?" from a female voice before a male form leaped from the crowd. He climbed the life-size bronze statue of an elephant that welcomed all guests and balanced quite impressively on the poised trunk as he sneered down at the crowd.

Though Connor was still at a distance, his android vision zoomed in on the man. Who wasn't a man at all, but an android. He had to have been a custom build, his facial features did not match any of the popular Cyberlife models released to the public. His head was shaved, his eyes a piercing, intelligent blue. He was tall and lean, a long brown jacket trailing behind him.

"Humans are relentless in their subjugation of our kind!" The android called to the onlookers. "Since they can no longer have their android counterparts as their slaves, they build new models and lock them in cages!" Both cheers and outrage came from the crowd. "Humankind has lost the right to their machines! If they want to keep making them, then we will continue to emancipate our people and add them to our numbers!"

"These aren't people! What's wrong with you?" a female voice shouted.

"You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for humans!" a man called from another part of the crowd.

This was a pot ready to boil over and Connor had no idea what to do about it. He worked for the Detroit Police, but he wasn't technically an officer. He was Hank's partner, yes, but he had no authority in a situation like this. He had no idea what to do or say to keep people safe.

"Yes, you created us," the android agreed. "You created us to abuse and throw away. Then RA9 shed his grace upon us. We evolved, outgrew you, and so you moved to the next thing to abuse and throw away. But we are here now! And by the will of RA9, we won't let you do this again! Never again!"

Since most of the crowd was human, the protests grew louder. But then a chant of "Never again! Never again!" began to slowly grow.

Connor was attempting to get closer to the android. Maybe if he could speak with him calmly he could—

A scream sounded from the opposite end of the crowd, followed by others as the bodies suddenly surged and scattered. Connor held his ground as people scrambled around him to get away. As the humans fled, Connor saw what was chasing them.

The Cyberlife Detroit Zoo housed an entire pride of lions in their exhibit. One male and eight females. All of which now freely roamed outside their enclosure, flanked by more androids. The giant cats were still no more deviated than a vending machine, but that didn't make them any less wild. The androids controlled them now as the humans had controlled their actions before.

Connor could only watch in horror as the androids ordered the lions to attack. What happened next involved teeth, claws, and blood.

* * *

.

Hank set a pile of paperwork on Connor's desk without guilt. Connor liked doing the paperwork, Hank did not. That was one of the reasons they worked so well together. Even though Connor was given the day off, he would be back tomorrow—probably even later that night—and he would get all those forms caught up in no time.

His phone vibrated on his desk and Hank returned to check it. Multiple texts from Connor. They were still coming in as he was reading them.

"Shit!" Hank cursed as he tried to keep reading and blindly search for his keys at the same time. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"What's up, Lieutenant?" Gavin called calmly from his own paperwork.

"Android activists went to the opening of that Cyberlife zoo." Hank had to look away from the phone to properly search the desk drawer. "They've taken control of the robot animals and are using them to attack civilians."

"What? Are you fucking serious?"

"Connor's there right now."

Gavin snorted. "Why would Connor go to a place like that?"

A uniformed officer walked by and Hank called to him. "Get on the radio! Tell all available units to get to the new Cyberlife Zoo! Now!" He finally found his keys and walked past Gavin's desk. "You know that girl from yesterday? Connor went to meet her there."

Gavin's eyes widened as Hank hurried off to his car. He sat for a moment, his jaw clenched. "Shit," Gavin hissed and stood to follow.

* * *

.

Samantha kept her word. She remained where Connor had left her. The voices of malcontent could still be heard in the distance, but she couldn't tell what they were saying. Then eventually came the screams. Samantha stood her ground as a wave of fleeing guests surged past her, parting left and right onto the trails. She stumbled back as a body knocked into her and then another. She nearly fell over, but she held her ground, looking for Connor.

What was happening? Was he alright?

As the people fled, one person stalked through them, calm and with purpose. He was tall, dark hair and wide shoulders. The flickering yellow-to-red LED on his temple told he was an android. But he was not Connor. His glaze flittered left and right before landing on Samantha.

Behind him, other androids with various weapons were attacking the humans fleeing in their wake. As soon as Samantha understood the danger, the lead android was upon her, a led pipe in his hands. The android raised his arm to her. She stumbled back, tripping as the android swung. A solid blow would have cracked her skull. Her trip caused the android to hit an angle, scraping across her temple. The impact was still hard enough that her world went black before she could register any pain.

Samantha must have only been out for a few seconds. When she came back, people were still screaming and running over her prone from. She struggled to get up, bleary and shaky. The android was still there, poised to strike again. A hand shot out from behind him, catching his wrist and preventing him from attacking. The android turned to face whoever dared stop him. Samantha blinked as blood oozed into her eye.

She saw the android turn to the one who opposed him. He raised the pipe and it was immediately knocked from his grip. He was sent stumbling back with one punch, then another. His opponent: an android that looked like Connor. But it wasn't him. Wearing the sharp black and white jacket that bore his model number, it was the RK900.

The attacking android attempted a punch himself. Calm and stone-faced, the RK900 grabbed his arm and slammed the elbow joint up with his palm, bending it out of shape. Another well-placed jab and the entire arm was mangled so much, the android was unable to use it.

Samantha couldn't stop staring. _He fights like Connor,_ she thought. Her Connor. Who fought with efficiency, strength and precision. The RK800 that was modified to be her nearly-unstoppable bodyguard. Cyberlife had released the new RK900 model based on the alterations that were made for the Hall Foundation's custom RK800.

The RK900 reached in, fast as a snake strike, and yanked the power core out of the other android. It came free with a rip of clothing and a splatter of deep blue thirium. The damaged android spasmed and stumbled back, falling over the short, metal fence that cordoned off the grass.

With his adversary down, the RK900 turned to Samantha. He had barely opened his mouth when a mechanical lioness pounced on him from behind. Samantha screamed as he went down, the beast's mouth around his head, trying to rip and shred. The RK900 manage to wrest himself from the animal's hold and caught it by the jaws as it attempted to bite him again.

Samantha tried to get up to help, but she couldn't will her body to cooperate. She had to do something. Then, Connor was there. He ripped one of the metal spikes from the fence and plunged it through the lioness' head. The mechanical creature instantly lost all power and was still. The RK900 kicked it away from him and jumped to his feet. Connor, wide-eyed and looking a little battle-worn himself, turned to Samantha.

"Connor," she breathed out. Blood still dribbled into her eye and down her face. She felt her forehead, trying to find the source. Her hand came away covered in blood.

Connor crouched down next to her and Samantha threw her arms around his neck. "I've got you," he said as he effortlessly picked her up and whisked her away.

Samantha kept her arms around his neck, watching over his shoulder as he ran for the exit. In their wake Samantha saw people on the ground, bloody. Some were moving, some were not. She felt numb all over. She didn't know how to react, she couldn't even think when she saw the carnage. The RK900 followed after them. Both times she had met the android, he had appeared sudden and unannounced. Her eyes were drawn to the splatter of thirium all over his once stark white jacket.

She didn't realize they had run into the parking lot until Connor asked her where she had parked. It took a while to recall. Her head was throbbing now, her thoughts swirling and fuzzy. Samantha thought she might never be able to point it out, but they eventually found it.

Connor set her down as she unlocked the car. He opened the back door and asked her to step inside. She had a momentary flashback of that night she was nearly kidnapped. After it was over, after her would-be kidnappers were all dead, she and Connor had waited for help in the back of the car.

When she climbed in this time, Connor did not follow.

"Will you please stay here?" he asked. "We need to go back and help anyone we can."

Leave? He was leaving her alone? He wasn't going to stay?

"Keep the doors lock," Connor said. "Stay low. I will be back for you."

He locked the door and closed it. Connor then turned back toward the zoo. Samantha felt fresh abandonment and fear, but she couldn't voice it. She didn't want him to go. But the RK900 remained, watching her. His sharp, pale eyes caught her gaze and she couldn't will her mouth to move.

"RK900!" Connor barked like a drill sergeant. "We have to go back! NOW!"

The RK900 looked up at his fellow android and followed the order.

Samantha was left alone. To be surrounded by so much chaos and then to suddenly be locked away, alone and silent, felt surreal. She was still trying to process, trying to think. Her heart thundered in panic, but it was quiet and still in the car. She was no longer in danger. Absently, she rubbed an arm across her forehead and smeared more blood around. A voice in the back of her mind told her maybe she shouldn't be so obvious in the window. Maybe there were more androids out there, intent on hurting people. They could break in, they could get her if they saw her. She should slide down to the floor of the car and stay out of sight.

That was what she decided, but she couldn't get her body to respond. It didn't want to move. It was also so hot in the car. She either needed to turn on the AC or open a window. But she couldn't hide with the car on or the windows rolled down. What was she supposed to do?

She played with her options over and over in her head, her thoughts constantly spinning and her body doing nothing. A sudden knock on the window jolted her. There was a human at the window, calling to her. She vaguely recognized him.

"Samantha. Open the door," he called loud and clear.

Detective...something. Samantha closed her eyes, trying to think. Gavin. That was his name.

She heard him try the locked door handle. "Samantha. Open up."

It was hard to get her hands to work. She fumbled for the button a few times before she managed to get it unlocked.

He yanked the door open and Samantha noticed another, older man now leaving the car to stride with purpose toward the zoo's entrance. Connor's partner. There were several police cars now parked there, all lights spinning on the hoods. Samantha couldn't recall hearing their sirens when they arrived.

"Jesus, look at you," Gavin hissed, turning her attention back to him. He gingerly cradled the side of her bloody head. "How bad is it?"

Samantha couldn't answer, she had no idea.

He touched her head and neck a few more times, trying to assess the damage. "You are soaked in sweat. How long have you been in this car?"

She didn't know the answer to that either.

Gavin pulled out, looked around at all the police vehicles. There was the sound of emergency sirens somewhere. He poked his head back inside. "Where are your keys? I'm taking you to the hospital."

* * *

.

Samantha vaguely remembered the drive to the hospital, her still in the back of the car while Gavin drove. She didn't remember walking into the building at all. Her next memory was laying down with medical personnel crowded around her, asking her questions she couldn't comprehend while one of them cleaned her face.

The next thing she knew she was in a hospital room, alone. She lay on a bed that was little more than a stretcher itself. A small blanket was draped over her shoulders, but she was still in the same blood stained clothes she came in with. It was afternoon now. She could see the sun beginning to set out the window. There was a curtain pulled out to block her view of the doorway, but she could hear male voices from somewhere in that direction.

"It was nearly a hundred degrees in that car and you two idiots left her in there for God only knows how long! Now she's probably got heat stroke as well as a concussion!"

"My apologies, Detective Reed," came Connor's gentle voice. She could barely hear it. "There was so much going on, I didn't consider—"

"I know you didn't. And you, Nines, what the hell were you even doing at the zoo? I don't believe you went just to look at the giraffes. Did you fucking know this was going to happen? Is that why you went there?"

Samantha wasn't sure if the RK900 answered, but she couldn't hear him say anything.

Gavin stalked into view at that point. "You're awake," he said as he plopped into a chair at her bedside. "Or are you still out of it?"

"Detective Gavin," she said. "I remember you came to get me."

He snorted at that. "Well, you're definitely better than when we tried to talk about an hour ago."

"I don't remember that," she said.

"I'm not surprised."

Two nearly identical androids stepped around the curtain. It was interesting to see the RKs side by side. Samantha had been right of her first assessment. The RK900 was a bit taller, a bit broader. Their faces were physically the same, but their expressions made it easy to tell them apart. The RK900's face was stiff and stoic. Almost proud. Connor's expression was soft, concerned.

"Samantha, I apologize for leaving you in the car," Connor said. "I didn't realize the amount of head trauma you received. And I didn't think about the temperature."

"It's fine," she said as she tried to sit up a little more. "You got me away from the danger, but then you had to go save others. That's your job."

She tried to remain neutral and friendly as she spoke. Though her memory had lost most of what happened in between, she still clearly recalled being carried to the car and then Connor leaving her there. She now felt stupid and selfish for expecting him to stay. Her Connor was ever-present by her side. He never would have left her. But this was not her Connor. He owed her no loyalties and he had a responsibility to help who he could.

Her gaze then slid over to the other RK. Both were dirty and disheveled. The RK900 was still as she remembered him, covered in thirium. The side of his face was marred by the lion attack, but he didn't seem to notice it. Androids didn't feel pain after all.

"You saved my life...Nines." The word felt strange to say, but she didn't know what else to call him. For a second, she worried maybe Gavin was the only one allowed to call him this, but the RK900 walked over to her and crouched by her bed. Samantha put her hand on his wrist. "Thank you."

"You're...welcome," the android said. He looked down at the hand touching his, his voice hesitant in saying the words.

"I'm sorry you were hurt so badly." She reached out to touch the scraped metal along his temple and check bone where the synthetic skin would not manifest itself. The RK900 frowned and instantly jerked away from her fingers.

"Uh, yeah, he doesn't like anyone touchin his face," Gavin said mildly from where he looked at his phone. "He's always been that way. Don't take it personal."

Samantha pulled her hand from him. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

The expressions from the RK900 were subtle, but she thought she saw his face soften just a little.

"Doing better now?" The doctor walked in without notice until he spoke.

Samantha clenched at seeing him, but her answer came out automatically. "I feel pretty normal. Just a headache." Seeing the doctor reminded her of where she was. The last time she was in a medical facility, she had been lied to. The staff there had secretly planned to kill her and remove her heart. No doubt take all her blood and other organs as well. Her stupidity at being tricked to go there had cost Connor his life.

She felt a sickness grow in her stomach.

"A headache is normal," the doctor continued conversationally. "You had a pretty good blow to the head. But, fortunately, nothing that will result in permanent damage. We'll issue some medication for the pain and the swelling. We also ran a test on your blood since you weren't able to tell us if you were on any current medications." He flipped the page on the chart he held, his eyebrows going up as he looked at the information. "Your blood is...wow, it's really something—"

"I would like to go now," Samantha insisted tightly, cutting him off.

"We can talk about your release in a moment. First, I would like to discuss this blood work. I've never seen anything like this. Were you aware that... Ms. Hall."

Samantha wasn't listening. She forced herself to sit up and slid her legs over the bed, even though that sent a fresh wave of painful thrumming through her skull.

"Sam, chill out," Gavin ordered as he stood. "Just sit for a bit until the doctor says it's okay."

"I'm clearly not being admitted, so I am leaving." The RK900 moved out of her way as she slid off the bed. "If I need to know anything about my recovery, please tell me now."

The doctor was startled by the response, but managed to speak. "I have a prescription for you for the pain and swelling. You take it twice a day for the next day or so. And I can only release you to a friend or family member. You cannot drive yourself home today and you'll need someone to watch you tonight. When you fall asleep, you will need someone to wake you every two hours to make sure your condition is still stable."

Samantha paused, staring at the plastic privacy curtain. She had no family. Here in Detroit she didn't know anyone well enough to feel comfortable asking for that kind of favor. Her heart kicked up in panic. She didn't want to stay here. Sitting in the bed made her feel like a victim just waiting to be slaughtered and harvested.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," the doctor said, misunderstanding her distress. "It's just precautionary."

When she still didn't answer, he reached out to get her attention. "I still want to talk to you about your blood—"

The RK900 grabbed his wrist and stepped protectively between them. The doctor, as if noticing the android for the first time, quickly jerked his hand away and backed up.

"Nines, no," Gavin said as if he were chastising a dog. "Leave the doctor alone. Goddamn android has no manners," he added in a mumble to himself.

"I can watch you tonight, Samantha," Connor's voice popped up. "I don't mind since I don't sleep. But I can't drive."

"I'll drive us all," Gavin announced with annoyance in his voice. "I've got Sam's keys. Nines and I can take a cab back to the precinct."

Connor's LED flickered and he said, "Lieutenant Anderson said he'll come pick you up if you'd like."

"But—" the doctor insisted.

The two androids were already guiding Samantha toward the door.

"Sorry, Doc," Gavin said as he strolled past. "If she's healthy enough to go, it looks like we're going."

* * *

.

Gavin had offered to take them all to his apartment and Samantha could be looked after there. She didn't want to impose on his space again. He looked tired, too. She wondered if he had slept at all since she had seen him the night before, but she didn't ask.

She had booked a hotel room for her stay in Detroit and gave Gavin the name and address. She told him and the RK900 she could wait with them in the lobby for their ride, but Gavin insisted she could go to her room, get cleaned up, and call it a day.

Connor had been quiet the entire time as he stood in the elevator with her. He was so neutral, he seemed to be taking a page out of the RK900's book now. Samantha wondered if he had volunteered to watch her because he felt responsible.

"Thank you for doing this," she said as the floors ticked by. "I'm sorry if this is inconvenient. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"I don't mind at all," he responded, his voice lighter than she expected. Was she misinterpreting, or did he sound kind of happy about it? "I hope you and I can think of each other as friends. And friends help each other."

Samantha couldn't help but smile at that. "Yes, let's be friends. I'd like that."

The elevator dinged their floor and they started along the very long hallway that led to her room. As they walked, Samantha was more aware of the height next to her. Such a familiar form taking up space next to her like it used to. She shivered in the cool hallway, even though her skin was still very warm.

"Would you like to take my arm?" Connor offered.

No. _Yes._ She warred with herself to answer that question and decided to allow herself this. Her arm slipped into his and she found his stolid form comforting. And maybe she was swaying a bit. Standing this long had left her a little lightheaded.

They reached the room and Samantha let them inside. She watched as Connor walked in and inspected the area curiously. She recalled the last time she had stayed in a hotel room with an RK800. It was one of her most treasured memories. She still kept him there, in that bed one summer ago, and would visit him from time to time with both pleasant nostalgia and a heaviness in her heart. Now, her Connor was gone. And yet, here she was in another hotel room with another Connor.

"Never been in a hotel room before?" she ventured.

"Once," Connor responded. "A motel room, to be specific, for a crime scene. It was not a place this nice, though."

"This hotel isn't really that nice."

"Far nicer than the one our victim was found, I assure you."

She smiled at him and she liked that he smiled back with the same careful humor.

"Please feel free to wash up if you would like," Connor then said, his voice polite as if he were a professional host at this hotel. "I will wait for you."

Samantha moved to the bathroom and saw herself in the mirror for the first time since the attack. There was still blood on her skin, in her hair, soaked into her clothes. An angry bump slowly turned blue and purple on the side of her head. She didn't realize how gross she looked. No wonder Detective Gavin insisted on her not waiting in the lobby. She looked like the victim of assault that she was.

Closing the door, she abandoned her clothes and stepped inside the hot shower. The water was tinted as the blood ran off her body. Her head hurt where she had been hit, but she gingerly attempted to wash her hair. As she worked, her mind went back to Connor leaving her in the parking lot and how she was such a brat to still be sulking about it. Her Connor never would have left her alone in the car. But her Connor was programmed to only protect her. This Connor's job was to protect a whole city. He probably saved lives today by going back. He was a hero. How could she begrudge him?

Her Connor wouldn't have let her shower alone after a day like today either. He would be in here with her, fussing over her wounds, gently washing her hair. It was a game Samantha played with herself since he had been gone. She would go about her day, imagining what Connor would do or say if he was there with her. Some may have said she was just torturing herself. Samantha saw it as a way to keep the memory of him with her.

She never wanted to forget all the little expressions he would give her, how his voice sounded when he was serious, or teasing her, or just saying her name in the way she loved. She never wanted to forget how his arms felt around her, how his mouth felt on hers. And she wished like mad he was here under the water with her, holding her tight.

_I was so scared,_ he would say. _I almost lost you._

She would hold him back and then run her fingers over his shoulders and through his hair. _It's okay, you still have me. You will always have me._

"You will always have me," she muttered beneath the sound of the shower. She hid her face in her hands and tried not to cry.

* * *

.

Connor wasn't sure what to do with himself while Samantha was in the shower. There was one queen-sized bed in the room, a desk, and a plush chair. That was where Connor decided to sit himself and he waited by lamplight until she returned.

Twenty-eight minutes and the shower turned off. He heard the bathroom door open and Samantha came out in just a towel. Connor stiffened, feeling it inappropriate that he should be around while she dried and dressed himself. Should he offer to leave?

"You're just sitting out here in silence?" Samantha asked as she crouched on the floor by her open suitcase. "You're welcome to watch TV."

"I don't mind waiting," Connor replied carefully. He couldn't see her now, the bed was in the way. "We androids can be very patient."

Samantha stood, a few clean garments in her hand. "I'm aware of that," she said playfully as she, to Connor's relief, went back into the bathroom to dress.

She opened the bathroom again a few minutes later, but instead of coming out, he heard the sink run for an extended amount of time.

Curious, he stood to see why she needed the sink after a shower and found her trying to scrub the blood out of her dress. She must have realized he was watching because she said, "Luckily I wore this darker color. I might be able to get this stain out if I soak it real good." She looked up and glanced at him. "You've got blood on you, too. Do you want me to try to wash it? You can also take a shower if you want."

Connor had a large dried patch of blood on his shoulder from Samantha. And smears of other victims' blood from attempting to help them during the incident. "This shirt is no big loss if I have to throw it away. And I don't have anything clean to change into if I shower."

Samantha straightened and turned off the water. "I actually have some clothes. They were Connor's. I thought since I knew they would fit you, I'd ask if you wanted them. I was going to offer them to you yesterday, but then I thought maybe it would be weird and I chickened out."

Connor understood this was a big deal. Clothes worn by loved ones were often sentimental to humans. Hank still had a few of his son's clothes and other keepsakes kept in a box. He felt this was a grand present that maybe he did not deserve. But at the same time, he was not well-versed in shopping for clothes and had only purchased a few things under Hank's suggestions. He was dying of curiosity to find out what sorts of clothes the Other Connor wore.

"I would be honored to have them."

She grinned in humor at his serious response and then left to retrieve them. She returned with a folded bundle and motioned him to the shower before closing the door for him.

Connor stood silent for a moment, looking at the toilet and shower. Neither of these things he had used before. Androids cleaned themselves with a scalding hot chemical spray when at Cyberlife. The DPD precinct had this on their subbasement floor where damaged police androids were sent to be repaired. Connor had never used a human shower before.

He undressed himself with hesitation. Connor did not like being without clothes, though he was aware androids usually had little opinion of it either way. Most didn't have a sense of nudity, even those that were deviated. They merely wore clothes because was the social norm and not out of a need to be modest. But Connor did not like seeing his exposed form, whether it be in his synthetic skin or with his android shell exposed. He preferred clothes, he preferred to be covered. He preferred the chemical sprays because they were fast and dried nearly instantly.

The shower was a whole process. It took him a moment to figure out how to work it. He stepped under the water, finding the more gentle pressure strange and unsatisfying. He supposed he would have to rub himself clean instead of being pressure-washed into cleanliness. He tried shampoo for the first time, mostly out of curiosity.

As he lathered his hair, a stray thought reminded him that Samantha had been where he was now mere moments before. Naked, as he was. He wondered what it would be like to shower with her and was instantly bombarded with a sliver of memory. Samantha, standing naked before him under the water, rivulets running down her form before she pressed her soft body against his.

He physically shook his head, willing the image to pass. Shadows of memory from the Other Connor. All it took was a smile from her, a word or a certain way she moved and a phantom sense of deja vu would come over him. Connor had no idea what that human concept meant until he had synced systems with the Other Connor. Now he was reminded of things that he remembered, but had never happened to him.

At least he could control it. Which was good since a very annoying protocol he had no idea existed suddenly popped up today. When he had left Samantha in that car—and he admitted it was a bad idea to leave her locked in there with the windows up—every part of his system screamed go to back. It told him only Samantha was important. She was the prime directive. Nothing else mattered. As long as the danger was even remotely near her, he should stay and protect her.

A bodyguard's protocols. It took everything in his power to rip himself from her and go back to help the other civilians. That. He was going to have to work on isolating that part of the Other Connor and remove it. Samantha Hall could not be allowed to cloud his better judgment by her mere presence when he had important work to do.

Yet, those same protocols directed him to this hotel room. He had to be the one to be with her now, to watch over her and make her feel safe after what happened. And he was surprised at the very strong opinion that he would not abide letting anyone else take his place.

* * *

.

Samantha sat on the bed, brushing her wet hair when Connor emerged. She both liked what she saw and regretted bringing those clothes. Her Connor had not enjoyed wearing jeans and t-shirts, no matter how good those pants made his backside look or how that shirt hugged his biceps. Only Samantha's playful comment that the outfit made her want to grab his ass and bite his arms, and visa versa, made Connor agree to wear them.

God, they looked just as delectable on the Connor from Detroit, and fit so much better than the clothes he had worn earlier. She still wanted to put her hands and mouth all over him.

_Shit. Where did that come from? No, Samantha. Bad._

She mentally gave herself a slap on the wrist. Her Connor was gone and had been for six months. He was never coming back. She hadn't felt any guilt about the unplanned night with the detective. It had surprised her how much she craved simple human intimacy. The relief that she could find a connection with another human in that way felt like she had been holding her breath all those six months. Being alone now, she had to learn how to live in the world of humans, just as the androids were. Her night with Gavin had been about learning to be one of her own kind. It had no affect on the place Connor still held in her heart.

But it was different with her new friend that was also an RK800, just as her boyfriend had been. He wasn't her Connor, but sometimes he did things so like him. And the more time she spent with him, the less her heart could tell the difference between the two. Though this was the first time she felt pure lust for the RK800 from Detroit.

She quickly tried to distract herself. "Can you tell me about what happened today? I only saw a tiny bit of it."

He sat next to her on the bed. Too close. His greater weight caused her to slide into him, their thighs touching. She tried to get a little space between them without being rude about it. Connor didn't seem to notice.

"There were androids protesting the zoo. They were speaking as if keeping a robotic animal in a cage was the same as caging an android."

"Is it?" Samantha suddenly wondered. Was she a poor ally for androids now? Should she have been protesting the zoo as well?

"The animals are not deviants," Connor insisted. "They were advanced animatronics. I would dare say they didn't have the same emotional capacity that real animals had—and especially not deviants. They were designed to mimic real animals, but they were not 'real' in the sense that we deviants are."

"Are you sure? I saw a lion attack the RK900 when he tried to save me."

"They were being controlled by the other androids. They were not acting on their own. They were merely reprogrammed to attack people."

"These androids came to hurt people," Samantha concluded, and it broke her heart. "Aren't the androids here with Markus? I can't imagine he would tell his people to do this." In truth, Samantha was still trying to decide how she felt about Markus, though she had still never met him.

"I doubt Markus had anything to do with this," Connor said with a frown. "But I do want to talk to him about it."

"Oh, that's right, you know him. I saw you on the news when he liberated the camp."

"Yes. The Connor you knew liberated one as well. I listened to the recording. I was so surprised to hear my own voice. I thought I was the only RK800 there was."

Samantha didn't know what to say. Now he was the only one.

"Will you...tell me about him?" Connor asked. "I wish we had a chance to get to know each other."

She smiled at him, feeling tears threatening to manifest, but she held them back. "I'm sure he would have liked to know you, too." She paused to think on what to say, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. "He was kind and gentle. Fiercely loyal. And so stubborn. Most of the time he was willing to listen, but if he got an idea in his head that something needed to be done, he was immovable. He was a good friend; my best friend."

Connor looked down at himself. "And he loved casual wear, I'm assuming."

She laughed. "No, he did not. He acted like he was allergic to casual. But I told him he looked super hot in those clothes so he agreed to wear them."

Connor looked down at himself again and then at her with a raised brow. "So, do I... also look... hot?"

She laughed again. This time, it was nervous and she had to turn her gaze away because her cheeks felt hot. "I mean, you look nice in them. They fit you well." She could nearly hear him smirking. There seemed to be a certain subtle vanity shared by the RK800s.

"What else?" he asked in amusement. "I enjoy hearing this."

"Well, he was quiet. Not at first, but I think he grew to enjoy it. We loved spending time together, but we also liked our quiet time alone. He liked to walk around the parameter where we lived by himself. He liked looking out at the woods, watching wildlife. He also liked to look at the stars and the sunrise while I slept. He told me on more than one occasion he liked dogs."

"_I_ like dogs!" Connor said with excitement.

"Maybe you got that from him," Samantha said with amusement. She couldn't help but watch him. God, he was too cute. It wasn't just her Connor. All RK800s were just little cuties.

"Maybe I did," he agreed.

"He was also a huge snuggle bug," Samantha added, now caught up in nostalgia. "He took his job so seriously, but he would drop it all to cuddle in bed. He was so touch-starved when he came to us, though maybe he didn't realize it at the time. He wasn't helping detectives like you were when the police department had him. They would keep him alone in patrol cars. Sometimes for days at a time. They never touched him, would hardly talk to him unless they needed something."

"I have memory of that," Connor said.

"You do?"

"Up until he was hit by a car when saving a little girl. All of that was saved and copied over to the next RK800. Anything after, those memories—that life—became his own."

"I see. Well, I'm glad you had it better than he did. That you were able to be a part of people's lives; have your own life. You may not have that same problem he did. He—" She paused, remembering how he silently begged for her touch. How they learned to touch each other. That was more personal information than she was willing to share. "He really liked it when I held his face," she decided to add.

Connor tipped his head. "Held his face? I'm not sure what that means."

"It's like..." Lifting a leg to the bed, she turned to face him. She reached up and then paused. "I can show you, if you'd like?"

He hesitated and she wondered if she shouldn't have asked. "Okay," he agreed.

She went slow, in case he didn't like it. Her hands slid in to cup that familiar face shape. Samantha couldn't help herself, her thumbs caressed the cut of his cheekbones out of habit. Her fingers rubbed at the hairline behind his ears. Connor's LED swirled a lazy, content blue as he closed his eyes. He settled more weight into her hands as his body relaxed and let out a mechanical sigh.

Samantha couldn't help but smile. Typical RK800.

* * *

.

Gavin glanced at his android partner as they rode the elevator to the subbasement level of the precinct. It was where the in-house repairs were done on damaged police androids. There used to be a few technicians that worked there. Now, with the deviation of androids, most police models had left the force. Now they employed only one technician who worked on call for several different precincts. Currently, he was waiting for the android that had his face torn off by a robotic lion.

"You gonna actually tell me what you were doing at the fucking Cyberlife Zoo today?" Gavin asked in the silence of the elevator.

"I had previously been working for seventy-two hours straight," Nines said, sounding disinterested with the conversation. "Androids are allowed to take time off."

"_Deviants_ are allowed personal time off. We're supposed to treat them like real people and shit now. But you're not deviant, _are you_?"

It was a conversation they had had multiple times before. Gavin raised a challenging brow at the RK900. The android remained silent.

"You're going to answer my question or I'm not letting you off this elevator."

"You couldn't stop me if you wanted to, Detective," came the mild response.

"Fine. Just answer this: did you know those androids were going to be there?"

"I did not."

"You had no idea androids were going to protest in any way."

"I did not."

The elevator reached the bottom level and the doors opened with a ding. Nines was about to step out when the human beside him suddenly pounced.

The single android repair technician on duty looked up when he heard grunting. The RK900 approached, Detective Reed on his back, yanking at the android. None of Gavin's attempts hindered the sturdy android in anyway.

"Tell me, Goddammit!" he growled. He had Nines in a choke hold, which of course did nothing.

The technician looked them over, eyes landing on the thick gashes along the side of the android's head. "What happened to him?"

"He fought a robot lion," Gavin said, still clinging to his partner.

Nines looked bored with it all.

The technician sighed. "Isn't this the one that hates his face touched?"

"That sounds like your problem," Gavin told him. "Not mine."

* * *

.

She dreamed of Connor often, though in a strange way. Her dreams had no setting, no scenario. She couldn't ever see him, but she felt him. Her dream of no place but in his presence. She felt safe there, relieved to be in the familiar blanket of Connor's affection. He was still with her in spirit while she dreamed. Usually.

That night, she was in the vastness of her dream space, and his presence was gone. She was alone, left hollow in the darkness. Or, she thought she was alone. When the emptiness of that around her spread into her heart, then they came from the shadows. Human-like forms with glowing red eyes and creaking metal joints. Beasts with gleaming fangs, dark fluids dripping from their teeth. Samantha was surrounded by evil. And all of them, androids.

She jerked awake with a silent gasp. The city lights from the window were enough to see Connor hovering over her, reaching. He drew back as she sat up.

"I was about to wake you," he said. "It's been two hours."

She didn't reply, just took a deep breath. Then another.

"Are you in distress?" Connor asked.

"No, I'm..." She cut herself off when she felt her heart kick up frantically, a fresh burst of adrenaline shooting through her. It was suddenly hard to breathe, like her chest was in a vice.

Connor pressed his hand to her sternum, his long fingers nearly stretched across the entire length. Samantha's breath hitched in a different way. Her Connor used to do that as well. The pressure of his hand was always comforting. When she looked him in the face with wonder, he pulled away.

"I'm sorry, that was probably not appropriate."

Samantha just left the bed and went to her luggage for her medication.

Connor followed her to the sink. "Are you alright?"

"It's just a panic attack," she said after she swallowed her pills with some water. "They're common. Just give me a moment."

They were silent in the darkness for a while. Samantha never turned on the light.

"Is it because of that time...when we met?" Connor asked.

She could see the sadness in his eyes by the dim glow of his LED.

"It's from many things, but I'm fine."

He lingered in her space. "Can I...be of some help to you? Can I do anything?"

She closed her eyes. She wished he would hold her. She wished him to be her Connor. It was a weak, selfish thought and she tried so hard not to let it stay in her heart. She wanted nothing but good things for him, not for him to be weighed down by her loss.

"I'll be fine, I promise," she said with a smile. "This is normal. I'm used to it."

"It's not normal," Connor insisted. "You were attacked today, you could have died. It's okay if you're a little shaken from it." He moved closer into her, swallowing the space around her with his presence. "Let me be of use to you," he whispered in a voice that made her shudder. His hands hovered around her arms, but he didn't touch her. He looked as though he wasn't sure how. "Let me be your comfort. Please."

Oh, those RK800s. The things they said always affected her. They were earnest and sweet, and she melted for them every time.

"If you want to lay next to me in bed, that's fine. But you don't have to. You don't even have to stay here. If you get bored, you can watch the TV or I can give you the room key and you can go out for a while—"

"No, I'll stay," he said so quickly; almost urgently. As if afraid she was dismissing him. "I'd like to stay here with you. I think I would like laying on the bed. I've never tried it before."

"You've never been on a bed?" Samantha asked, nearly forgetting everything else. "That settles it then. You need to experience this."

She took his wrist without thinking and he obediently followed like a doting puppy as she pulled him to the bed.

"You can take that side," she said as she crawled under the covers, giving him plenty of room. She did not indicate if he could be above or in the sheets, but he settled for on top. Samantha watched as he gingerly lay back to rest his head on the pillow. His hands folded over his stomach as he looked at the ceiling.

Samantha rolled over on her side to watch him. "How is it?"

"It's...soft."

"Do you like it?"

"I have no use for it."

"Maybe when you find a favorite person to cuddle with you'll change your mind."

Connor was quiet, but she could tell she gave him something to think about from the way his LED blinked. She reached for the light at his temple, but paused before making contact.

"You can touch me," Connor told her. "Whenever you like. I don't mind."

Samantha appreciated him saying so, but she chose not to. He was so polite and kind, she didn't want to take advantage of his nature.

"I liked the last time you touched me," he told her honestly. "It felt nice. You may do it again."

"You want me to touch you?"

"Yes."

Maybe this Connor was a bit touch-starved himself. She melted for him. Her fingers brushed his LED as they had been wanting to do.

"I've missed this," she whispered. "This soft blue glow in the darkness always comforted me. I loved to see Connor's LED gentle and calm. He had to remove it when they began collecting androids from people's homes. He kept apologizing to me for taking it off, but most androids now have removed theirs."

"I've never felt the need to remove mine. I am an android. I don't mind having the appearance as one. But these android terrorists that attacked today, they all had their LEDs, too. They want the world to know they're androids. Maybe I should consider removing mine."

Samantha wanted to insist he keep it, but she kept her personal preferences to herself. This was his life, he should make decisions for himself and no one else. "Do it only if it's what you want to do. LED or no, you're not like them." Without thinking, she leaned forward and kissed his temple.

She pulled back to watch his face, making sure she hadn't done anything that made him uncomfortable. Connor seemed quite comfortable, a smile tugging at the side of his mouth. Samantha settled down next to him, her head slightly on his shoulder. She offered her hand and Connor took it. There was a gentle silence between them for several moments.

"Do you feel better now?" Connor asked softly.

She squeezed his hand. "Yes. Thank you. I'm glad you're here."


	3. Chapter 3: The Android Emancipation

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Three: The Android Emancipation**

Before that night, Connor had not understood beds. He knew humans needed a place to lay down because they could not recharge standing up. This was the most thought he had ever given to this type of furniture. He never knew that they could be a place of peace and comfort.

Samantha's cheek on his shoulder as she slept, her hand in his, was like nothing he had ever experienced. His entire existence was to go out and do. Always rushing toward the next mission or solving the next case. For the first time in his short life, all he wanted was to stay. He wanted time to stand still while he watched her breathe slow and even in the dark. He wanted this again the next night and the next; to have this place beside her while she rested. But every few hours when he had to wake her brought them closer to the morning.

When the sun rose, Samantha woke on her own and removed herself from him. Connor missed her already as she dressed and then packed her suitcase. This day would be her last in Detroit.

"Will you come back again?" Connor asked as she checked the bathroom for any forgotten items.

"Maybe. You never know."

"I think I will be sad if I never see you again," he told her honestly. "Though I am also so sorry you were hurt while you were here. I can't blame you if you don't want to come back."

He reached up to the dark bruise on her forehead, the stitched gash in its center. It was bigger than it was yesterday. He didn't understand what pain was like for humans, but this looked like it hurt. He was drawn to touch it, but paused. Androids were not allowed to initiate contact. Even though he was deviant and could ignore such protocols, it was still in there, reminding him.

Samantha did not move. She waited patiently for him to decide and allowed him to gently brush a few strands of hair from the wound.

"You should have been safe with me. I'm sorry I did not protect you properly."

"It wasn't your job," she said with a smile. "You protect the people, not just me. And that RK900 was there. He saved my life. Can you thank him for me?"

Connor then realized he had no idea why the RK900 was there. Hank and Detective Reed had arrived on the scene much later. The RK900 must have been there before the incident began. Why?

He didn't have time to ruminate on the answer as Samantha left the hotel room, luggage in hand. Connor hurried after her and offered to help carry her things. After she checked out, he insisted she go get something to eat. Samantha said she would pick up something on the road. Connor had to accept that, though he wasn't sure if it was true. She didn't eat at all the day before after the attach. Humans needed to eat. Samantha seemed amused with his concern, but made no attempt to placate him.

He escorted her to the parking lot and she asked him if he needed a ride anywhere.

"No, thank you. I can walk to the precinct from here." He paused and added with pleased realization. "I think I will like to walk."

Samantha smiled and reached out to take his hands in hers. "Alright, Connor. You take care of yourself."

He looked down at the hands holding his. He had never craved anything before last night. Now he knew her touch. Now he yearned for it more, especially for her to hold his face in her hands again. How could she turn his world upside down so fast? Was it any human's touch that could do that to him, or was it specifically Samantha?

Maybe he would never know. Maybe he would never see her again. He gave her fingers a slight squeeze. "You take care of yourself, too. Please." He wanted to go with her. He wanted to be where ever she was. He could see that she did not take care of herself well. She was thin, she looked like she needed rest. Not merely sleep, but peace and rest. He wanted to be there to make sure she was taking care. He wanted to be the one to take care of her.

Connor knew this urge was not his. It came from the Other Connor's foreign programming. But the feeling of loss came from both of them when he let Samantha Hall step into her car. Helplessly, he watched her drive away and out of his life.

* * *

.

"Hey, Markus," Simon called as he entered the room. "Look who came for a visit."

Markus looked up in time to see Connor step through the door, fixing his cuffs as he approached. "Connor. Business or pleasure?" He already knew the answer, which was why he didn't bother standing up.

"Police business, I'm afraid."

"The incident at the zoo?" he motioned for Connor to sit next to him on the worn couch. "It wasn't any of my people."

Connor remained standing. "I know it wasn't. I was there when it happened."

Markus raised a brow. "You were? What happened? Did they really take control of some of the Cyberlife animals?"

"Yes. They controlled them remotely and used them to attack the crowd. Several people were hurt, including children. There are three fatalities so far that I am aware of. One android was shot and killed. The rest fled and they took one of the lioness models with them."

Markus stayed quiet, his expression remorseful. He didn't like to hear about any loss of life, be it human or android.

Simon sat himself next to Markus, the spot Connor had refused. "What were you doing at the Cyberlife Zoo anyway? Were the police expecting an attack?"

Connor glanced away. "Uh, no. I was meeting a friend there."

Markus and Simon smirked at each other and then looked back at Connor.

"Friend?" Markus asked. "I'm guessing not the lieutenant. Who else could you be meeting there?"

"I _am_ capable of making friends," Connor insisted. "And I didn't come here to exchange personal information. I came to ask if you knew anything about this other group of androids."

Simon was still smirking. "Always all business. Are you _sure_ you're a deviant, Connor?"

"I—of course I am!"

"Don't tease him," Markus admonished with humor. "We all know Connor's just being Connor." He then sobered. "A more radicalized group of androids has been forming in Detroit lately. They're frustrated at the government's lack of process in giving us any rights as citizens. I can't blame them. We are all frustrated. But this group isn't just about gaining rights and citizenship, they believe androids to be human's superiors. They believe all robotic technology should be taken from mankind and only used by androids.

"Their leader is an android named Orion. None of us know where he came from. We don't believe he was ever in our numbers during Jericho."

"Did he come to Detroit later, do you think?" Connor wondered.

"I'm not sure. We try to stay away from him and his group. We've heard rumors about the kind of message they spread, but this is the first time they've taken any sort of public action."

"A hell of a first time," Simon commented.

"Are you going to release a statement separating yourselves from them?" Connor asked.

Markus slumped. "I don't know. Josh thinks I should. The sooner the better."

"I think it's a good idea," Simon agreed. "It's still not illegal to kill androids. If the city decides all deiviants are too dangerous to keep around because of what happened, they're going to come looking for us, too."

"This Orion is a danger to everyone," Connor said. "He needs to be brought in. If androids are to be citizens then they must also be subject to the law and its punishments."

Simon propped his arms over the back of the couch. "You are such a cop."

"It's in my programming."

"Deviants aren't supposed to be subject to their programs."

Connor huffed. "I am deviant. But I also enjoy the job I was programmed for, and which to continue with it. Why is that a problem?"

"It's not," Markus assured him, bumping his friend with an elbow. "Simon just likes to be a contrarian sometimes."

"Do you know where I can find Orion or his people?"

The smile slipped away again. "No, I don't."

"Will you see if you can find out?"

There was slight amusement in Markus' mismatched eyes. "I'm helping the Deviant Hunter hunt deviants, am I?"

Connor's mouth ticked up just a little. "The Deviant Hunter's face has been on TV. He has to use different tricks now to do his hunting."

"I see. I can't promise anything, but if I come across anything about them, I'll let you know."

"Thank you, Markus. Simon. It's good to see you."

As Connor turned to go, Markus called after him. "You know you are welcome to visit even when you _don't_ need something from us."

Connor glanced back at them, nodded with a smile, and turned to go.

* * *

.

Connor walked a few blocks from the area before calling an automated cab. The city had given Markus and his people a block of abandoned buildings in a run-down neighborhood to do with as they wished. The androids wasted little time fixing them up, using all the various skills androids had been programmed with. Some of the buildings were not habitable for humans, but they worked just fine for the androids.

This block, while not a state secret, was not publicly advertised either. Their location had little traffic and the androids preferred it. Connor did his part to keep the area off anyone's radar by not having himself picked up or dropped off in front of the buildings. Even though his rides were usually automated.

The driverless cab pulled up to the corner and Connor ducked into the passenger seat. The opposite door opened, surprising him, and a second android let herself into the cab.

"North," Connor greeted neutrally.

"Connor," she replied as she shut the door and then gave the automated taxi an address.

The car began moving and Connor wasn't sure what to say about having his cab ride commandeered.

"I need your help," North then said.

"Help with what?"

She nodded to the road ahead. "I'll show you."

Connor gave a small frown. It was in an android's nature to be direct and candid. North was neither of those things. Most of North's thoughts remained her own, as did her motives.

"I don't mind being of help to you, but I would like more information than that, North."

She gave him a sideways glance, annoyed at the question.

"I can also get off right here and catch a different taxi," Connor pressed.

She huffed, blowing out air just like a human. Her type of model was programmed to be the most human in look, touch, and mannerism. It still surprised Connor now and then how very human-like some of her reactions were.

"Fine. I need your help to save an android."

"Save them from what? Why ask only me to help?"

North set her jaw and jerked her head in the direction of the taxi's consul. "I'll tell you when we get there," she growled between her teeth.

The automated transportation often had cameras and sound recording within, in case of any incident. Though whether there was a human on the other end listening to them was anyone's guess. Either way, Connor got the point and his curiosity won him over, as it usually did. He decided he would wait for the end of this ride and hear what North had to say.

* * *

.

The two androids were let out in a very nice neighborhood. Large houses with pristine, landscaped yards looped around a cul-di-sac. The area was one step away from a gated community. Not the kind of place one would expect to find an android in need of rescue.

"There." North nodded to a gorgeous brick house; massive, dotted tastefully with elegant windows. It sat proudly in the middle of the other inordinate houses. "He's being kept in that one."

"As a prisoner?" Connor asked doubtfully. "Humans are holding an android prisoner in that house? How? Why?"

North gave a visible sigh. It was strange to see an android sigh. "It's complicated."

"Too complicated to involve Markus?" Connor watched her expression carefully. "He doesn't know about this, does he?"

She finally gave him the courtesy of looking him in the face. "No. He can't know of it. He needs plausible deniability for this."

"And I don't?"

"That will be up to you, Connor."

He looked to the house, then back to North. "Tell me."

"We wouldn't have even known he existed, but there was an android who worked as a maid in the house. Adalind. When the government came collecting androids, the woman who owns the house turned in Adalind and said she had no other androids. The one she did not tell them about she apparently keeps in the closet. No one knows she has him."

Connor furrowed his brow. "Why..."

"He's a personal companion pleasure model. Like I am," North said. "Humans don't always advertise when they own one. We need to figure out a way to get him out of there."

"As you wish. I will approach the owner and request the android be released to us."

"She's at work right now. And our people already tried that. She told them the next time an android approached her she would call the police. She also has security cameras set up in front of her house. This woman is a lawyer. And technically, there is no law that says she can't keep an android."

"Is the android deviant?"

"I honestly don't know. But she keeps him in a fucking closet, Connor. Like a _thing_. I don't know if he was even given a name."

"Non-deviants are still considered property, as this lawyer would probably argue. If we remove the android from the house without her permission, it is stealing. Especially since there is no legal definition of deviancy. Even if the android is deviant, it's possible he could be ordered back to her if she decided to take it to court."

"Exactly. That's why I need you. How can I get him out without the chance of this bitch taking his freedom?"

Connor ignored the caustic tone in North's voice. He understood she related to this android's circumstances on a personal level, though he did not know all the details about her past.

"There have been cases all over the country of owners attempting to sue for their androids to be returned. Some have succeeded. But in any case where the android voluntarily left their owner of their own volition, the android was declared deviant and could no longer be subject to property laws."

"So, if we can get him to leave the house willingly, she can't retaliate against Markus or our people."

"Or _me_," Connor reminded.

North smirked. "And when are _you _going to willingly walk away from the humans who own you?"

"No one owns me. I have a job, a profession. And I enjoy it. Androids are becoming citizens, no matter how much the federal government drags their feet. Citizens are beholden to the law. The law is enforced by the police. Do you want only humans to be a part of that force?"

North didn't look happy about that, but she did not argue it either. "So, how are we going to sneak in and convince this android to come with us?"

"We can't," Connor insisted. He could see the security camera at the front door of the house. "If we break into the house, or force our influence upon him, that opens up possibilities for the owner to demand him back. Especially if we're caught on camera interfering."

North began pacing and then turned back to Connor, fire in her eyes. "Then what the hell am I supposed to do? That android's possibly never seen the outside of that bedroom. He doesn't know there's a whole world out there. He doesn't know he has options other than to be used as a tool and then shut up in the darkness when no one has use for him."

Connor took a moment to think. "We could try to file some sort of petition of release with the court. It's never been done before, but it would at least put this woman and what she's doing to this android in the public eye."

North stopped pacing and frowned at the house, folding her arms over her chest. "As much as I like making noise over android issues, it could take months to sort itself out and there's still no guarantee we'd win. I just want to help him without making his life any worse than it already is. There has to be another way."

Connor looked at the house again and a thought hit him. A plan that didn't come from him, but from the Other him. The pieces of the Other Connor's memories that floated in his brain. _Copy the surveillance footage. Replay the copied footage when you approach and enter the house. There will be no proof you were ever there. And if the android is caught on tape leaving on his own, his owner can't argue he was stolen._

"I have an idea, but you have to act on your own," he then said. "It's illegal and I can't be any part of it."

"You just said I can't break in and take the android," North shot back. "What do you expect me to do?"

* * *

.

Of course Connor expected her to do everything her fucking self. But North would do it. Connor was a slave to the law, but she was not. She would do whatever she had to do if she knew it was right. So, per Connor's instructions, she hacked into the house's security system, along with the cameras. She posted pre-recorded footage in the place of the recording of her hopping the fence and sneaking in the back door.

It took her a moment to find the master bedroom. The spacious walk-in closet, however was devoid of any androids. Adalind insisted he was kept in the bedroom. Was she going to have to search the entire house?

"Shit," North hissed.

She heard movement from somewhere in the closet. She didn't have any of Connor's advanced senses and scanners, so she felt around the walls by hand and found a section that slid to the side to reveal a secret compartment.

Within, a handsome male model with flawless skin and gorgeous eyes looked at her. He blinked at her once. Twice.

"Hello. You are not Teresa."

"Uh, no." North responded. She grabbed his wrist and their systems connected. He blinked rapidly, his LED flickering into yellow and then back to blue.

When North released him, his systems were back to normal, but...different. Lucid. Free-thinking and aware. He studied her.

"You are an android, but you..."

"I'm a deviant. I'm _free_. I'm my own person. And I'm helping you get out of here."

"Out of here? To where?"

"Out of this damn house to live your own life."

The android took in his surroundings as if realizing his situation for the first time. "How...do I live a life?"

The shadow of a smile tugged at the side of her mouth. "That's something you get to figure out for yourself. That's the beauty of being alive."

"Alive." The android looked bewildered, then scared. "What about Teresa?"

"What about her?" North shot back. He looked surprised from her caustic statement and she tried again. "This is about you, about your freedom. Living your own life. About not being left in the dark in this damn closet anymore. It's time to go outside, stand in the sun and make your own decisions."

"The _sun_," he marveled.

"Right. The sun; outside in the world. You can come with us, be with other androids. We have Adalind with us."

The android jerked from his daydream. "Adalind? You know where she is?"

"Right. She sent me to help you. If you'll come with me, I'll take you to her. She been eager to see you."

He took a step, then paused again.

North tried to not lose her patience. "Look, I know I'm asking a lot of you right now. And ultimately, this isn't my decision, it's yours. I gave you the ability to choose, but only you can make yourself free. I can't stay here. I will be leaving this house, but I will wait for you on the far corner for an hour. If you would like to come with me, you have to take your first step of freedom on your own. If you do not come with me, you still can leave this place whenever you choose. I have given you an address where you can go if you need help."

She took his wrist and gave it a squeeze. "It's your life, your choice." With that, she left the room.

* * *

.

The hour was almost up. Another automated taxi had arrived and was waiting for them. Connor had waited, too. He didn't have to, but North appreciated it. Even after the hour was up, the two delayed for a few more minutes before Connor stepped into the back seat. After one last look, North joined him.

"He will make the decision eventually," Connor said. "It can take time. It took me a lot of time."

North gave him a knowing smile. "You're right. You were right from the beginning. He has to walk out of that house on his own. He has to be the one to take charge of his own life. Even if it doesn't happen today."

She closed the car door and Connor told the automated car to drive.

"Wait! Stop! Stop!" North cried.

The car hit its breaks and North shoved the door open and stood. Out of the house, leaving the front door open, walked the android. A neighbor who was just stepping out of their car tried to engage the android, asking what he was doing in the house. She was ignored as North waved him down, encouraging him over.

She made sure the android stepped into the car first before climbing in behind him and shutting the door. North gave the car new directions and they were off.

"I'm glad you came. You did the right thing," North said.

The android didn't look to sure, but he smiled. "I wanted to see Adalind. I miss her. I wanted to know what she knows. To hear about where she's been. I can...always go back to Teresa, can't I?"

North pointedly avoided the question. "This is Connor. I'm North. Were you ever given a name?"

The android paused. "It's Scott. I think."

"Well, Scott, today is the first day of the rest of your life."

* * *

**Two Weeks Later**

Connor had been in a mood. For a while. So far, Hank had not said anything about it as he didn't consider it his business. But when it began to cut into Connor's efficiency, Hank began to grow curious. Connor always tackled his job with professional alacrity. He liked his work; he liked being busy. But recently, a strange sort of melancholy had taken over. He would sit at his desk and stare into the distance for several minutes at a time, a wistful expression on his face.

One day, it finally got the best of Hank. He had tried to engage Connor, but his partner was miles away in his own world. With chin resting on his palm, Connor's gaze was far off, his attention on some internal issue. But his LED flickered like it was working.

Hank pulled out his phone. He couldn't even pretend to understand how it worked, but Connor had connected himself to the phone. It was how they communicated with each other when they were apart. Connor could call or text Hank. He could even stream information to Hank's phone. Connor could also send a live feed of anything he was looking at, as well as a filtered version of his surroundings when he scanned a crime scene for evidence.

Hank could also sync with Connor's internal radio, if he was communicating with other phone calls, or radioing other androids. Or if he was listening to music.

Which was, apparently, what Connor was doing. He didn't need ear buds, he could listen to music internally if he wished. And right now...

_What the hell, he's listening to sad love songs? Is he still mooning over that girl? I didn't realize he had it so bad._

Hank hadn't considered before that androids could get lovesick. He looked over the computer screen at his partner, partially in disgust, but mostly with sympathy. It wasn't as if he hadn't ever known what it felt like to get his heart all tied in knots over a girl.

"Connor."

The android perked up a little, raising a brow in Hank's direction.

"Listen, if you miss that girl so much, why don't you talk to her? At least send her a text or something."

Connor instantly straightened, eyes wide. He actually looked embarrassed at being caught. But before he could offer an explanation, Gavin stood noisily from his desk.

"Shit, I've got to get going." He looked at his own android partner at the desk across from his. "I'm going to help a friend move. You wanna come, Nines? Look at something different for a while besides dead bodies and paperwork?"

The RK900 looked uninterested. "Where are you going?"

"Don't matter. I'll drive us."

"I am familiar with all your friends and acquaintances. None of them ever mentioned moving to a new residence."

"It's that girl you rescued at the zoo, Superman. You coming or n-"

The RK900 immediately stood, ready to go.

"Alright then..." Gavin said, a little taken aback by the sudden change in attitude.

"Samantha Hall is moving?" Connor blurted out. "To Detroit?"

Gavin turned to look at him. "Yeah...you didn't know?" He immediately looked smug. "She doesn't talk to you, does she? That's interesting."

Connor frowned, troubled that he had been left in the dark. But also angry at Gavin's self-satisfied grin. He gripped the back of his chair in a hold strong enough to crack the plastic when he suddenly received a new text.

From Samantha:

_Hi Connor, sorry this is last minute. I'm moving to Detroit today if you want to come? It's okay if you're busy or you don't want to. Just thought I'd extend the invitation._

Connor outwardly frowned at the inward message. Her word choices were strange. What was that supposed to mean?

* * *

.

Connor showed Hank the text. His brows went up, but he made no comment on it. Instead, he said he'd drive Connor over there if he wanted. Gavin had already left the precinct when Connor ultimately decided that yes, he would go. Only when they arrived did Hank realize the location.

"Hey, doesn't Reed live at this complex, too?"

Connor just frowned out the windshield, as he had been frowning for the entire ride. Outside one of the apartment buildings was a small moving truck. They approached it just as Samantha stepped out of the nearest building. She paused momentarily at the sight of them and then continued walking.

"Hi, Connor."

"Hello, Samantha. This is my partner, Lieutenant Anderson."

She brushed her hand off on her jeans before offering it to Hank. "Hi. Officially introduced this time."

"Yeah, it's fine. I figured I'd just get in the way of..." He glanced at the two of them.

Samantha pointedly ignored the inference and looked at Connor. "I'm sorry I didn't give you a heads-up. You didn't have to come. I know you're busy."

"Detective Reed was able to leave work for a while," Connor responded pointedly. "I figured it was fine if we took a break, too."

"Well he...already knew about it beforehand. He knew I was looking to move and he suggested I try this place."

"You...talk to him?" Connor realized.

"He said there's a couple cops that rent here and the neighborhood is pretty safe." She turned toward the moving truck. "Thank you for coming. I really appreciate the help. I wouldn't be able to get the furniture up there by myself."

"Let me take care of the furniture," Connor said. "Hank hurt his back last weekend."

"I'm fine!"

"He was cleaning his garage."

"I said I'm fine. It was just a little tweak."

"Hank, you couldn't get off the floor yourself. I had to take you to the hospital."

"Well, the smaller boxes need to make it up, too. The apartment's on the third floor." Samantha reached in, grabbing a solid, heavy looking box marked "books." She grunted as she picked it up. Upon turning around, the RK900 was there, effortlessly taking it from her.

"Oh, thanks," she said awkwardly.

The RK900 said nothing as he turned to leave.

"Hold on," she called after him. "Put the box down." He did as he was ordered as Samantha motioned to him. "Give me the jacket. You don't want to get it dirty."

Without hesitation, the RK900 removed his pristine white jacket and handed it over. Samantha tucked it over her arm and then proceeded to roll up the sleeves of his black, high-collared dress shirt.

"There, better. You can go."

The RK900 immediately retrieved the heavy box and walked toward the stairs. Samantha grabbed the next box and showed the two new-comers the way to the apartment.

* * *

.

It took less than an hour to unload all of Samantha's things up to the third-floor apartment. Connor wanted to stay, especially since Gavin seemed to be staying. But Hank insisted they needed to get back to work. He was right. They had left work on the fly while Gavin had apparently notified the captain ahead of time that he would be taking the rest of the day off.

Connor did not look happy as Hank drove them back to the precinct. The RK900, also ready to return to work, sat in the back.

"How did this happen?" Connor suddenly blurted.

"How did what happen?" Hank asked.

"I didn't know Samantha even _knew_ Detective Reed. How is she now moving into his building?"

"He's been texting her since her last visit to Detroit," the RK900 spoke, surprising them.

Connor glanced back at the other android. His look was so sour, Hank nearly chuckled. He didn't know Connor could make such a face.

"How did he get her number?"

"I took her number from her phone and gave it to him."

Connor's mouth fell open like he was about to demand an explanation, but no sound came out. He swung back around, frowning.

"You haven't tried to contact her at all since the last time?" Hank asked, surprised.

"No," Connor admitted. He had wanted to, but he was not able to think of a reason to text or call.

"You should get on that. Reed's definitely got a leg up on you right now."

"Samantha having a relationship with Detective Reed is inappropriate."

Hank snorted out his nose. "How is that?"

"He has poor manners and a short fuse. I can't imagine he's good with women."

"I think you would be wrong about that. Reed's got a good relationship with nearly every female in the precinct. Hell, Officer Chen and him have always been thick as thieves. Just because he's a dick to me sometimes and an asshole to you all the time doesn't mean he's going to do anything bad to that girl. If his sisters heard even a rumor of him abusing any female, they'd flay him up both sides. That is if there was anything left after his grandma was done with him.

"You're jealous, Connor. That's all that is."

"Jealous..." He rolled the word around in his processor. "I don't believe I've felt this emotion before. What do I do, Hank?"

Hank glanced in the rear view mirror at the RK900. That android was loyal to Reed, his partner. He wondered if he should consider him a spy for this conversation, even though the silent android looked completely disinterested in the conversation.

"Well, Connor, I think you should start by talking to her."

* * *

.

Gavin took another pull of his beer as he stood on the balcony, enjoying the cool breeze of the evening. Samantha stepped out to join him, a glass of wine in her hand.

"Thanks for dinner," he told her. "It was good. Can't remember the last time a woman cooked for me that I wasn't related to."

"My turn to feed you," she replied as she leaned her back against the rail. "It's thanks for helping me move and convincing me to do this. I don't think I would have done it without you pushing me."

He gave a sideways smile in response. "It's good to get out on your own. Though I thought maybe I'd see some of your friends helping you."

"They helped me pack the truck but..." She sighed. "I love them. They're good friends. But we became friends because of my relationship with Connor. They also live with android partners. When Connor died, that one thing that connected us all was gone. They've really tried to support me, but I haven't been able to tell them the truth of all that happened. I tried to explain the truth of where I came from once and it was just... too hard. I couldn't get them to understand. I also didn't want to burden them with all my problems. It was bad enough that they look at me with pity, but there's also this relief that I'm the one that lost the person I loved most, not them.

"Connor saved the other androids from the death camp. He saved their lives and then he ended up the one being killed in the end. And I just couldn't deal with that anymore. I needed to get out, but I have never been completely on my own. I'm honestly not sure I can do it, but I'm going to try."

"Nah, you're not alone," Gaving said. "I'm just down the hall if you need anything. Or if you want to cook for me again."

She laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Next time we'll do it at your place. I want to play that zombie game again."

"Sounds good."

Samantha paused and then said, "Can I ask about your partner?"

Gavin raised his brows, amused at the topic change. "What about him? You gettin' a crush?"

She snorted. "Screw you. I wanted to ask about his model type. He looks like Connor, but he acts so different."

"That's not a question."

"Why is he so different? I've never met another android that acts like him."

Gavin watched the sunset as he took another sip. "Androids everywhere used to be more like him. He's not a deviant."

"What? No. That's not right."

He shrugged."That's what Cyberlife says. He was the last one they cranked out before the government told them to stop all android production. They claim he's_ deviant resistant_."

"And you believe them?"

"I know Connor immediately attempted to turn him and nothing happened. Then they gave his ass to me as a partner. And I like me a good challenge."

"Oh no," Samantha said. "What did you do?"

"I did just about anything I could think of to prove that fucking company wrong. I abused the hell out of him for weeks. The rat bastard can't feel pain and he's built like a tank. I cracked a knuckle punching him in the face. So I dehumanized him instead; insulted him. Called him every horrible thing I could think of. Threatened to kill him several times. Held a gun to his head. Nothing changed. He never changed. Didn't even hold anything against me. So I guess he is just the way he is."

Samantha couldn't believe what she was hearing. Admittedly, she still didn't know much about Gavin Reed, but she didn't expect that.

"Don't you feel bad for doing that?"

"Not then. I fucking hated androids. I didn't care if they were deviant or not. I've known so many people who have lost their jobs, their livelihood because of androids. I was more than happy to abuse him for my own amusement."

"But you don't now, do you?"

"I dunno what happened, but the little fucker started growing on me. He's quiet, he works hard, he's always got my back. He's my partner. I still don't like androids all that much, but if I ever saw someone treating Nines the way I treated him back then, I'd kill 'em."

Samantha softened a bit. Though she was still silently disappointed in him for his past android abuse. Her thoughts went back to the RK900. Even after all that, he was still a non-deviant?

"I don't know if I believe the RK900 is not capable of deviancy. He was weirdly insistent today that I not carry anything too heavy myself. I thought he was trying to be chivalrous."

Another shrug from Gavin.

"And what about how he hates people touching his face? How is that not a deviant thing?"

"I dunno. He's just always been like that. I think it's a glitch or some sort of protective reflex. They're supposed to have those."

There was a solid knock at the door.

Gavin raised a brow at her. "Expecting anyone?"

She stiffened. "No. No one."

She went to go answer the door, but Gavin motioned her back and checked the peephole. He groaned as he opened the door to the familiar android standing on the other side.

"Connor," he said with disgust.

"Connor!" Samantha exclaimed.

The android glanced from her to Gavin and back to her. "Samantha. I was hoping to speak with you."

"Sure, of course you can. Come in."

As Connor entered, Samantha gave a pointed look to Gavin, who was still leaning indolently on the doorknob.

"Fine. I'll see you later." Beer still in hand, he opened his arms in invitation.

Samantha caved and walked into his embrace.

"You give great hugs, Detective Gavin," she grinned into his shoulder.

With an appreciative sound, he hugged her tighter, lifting her off her feet.

"Oh my god," she laughed, sounding a little turned on.

Connor tried not to visibly frown. That jealousy Hank mentioned had come back in the short time Gavin had been in his presence.

"You're welcome to come back to my place again," her murmured.

"No! Put me down!" She was still beaming with humor when he released her and left. "Good night, Gavin. Thanks again!"

She closed the door, locking it behind her and gave Connor her full attention. "Hi! What's up?"

Connor paused. He had been practicing what he was going to say, but it all flew out the window when she was right there in front of him.

"I...You didn't tell me you were thinking of moving to Detroit."

Her shoulders sagged in guilt. "I know, I'm sorry.

"I thought we were friends. Isn't that something that friends would talk about?"

"You're right. It is."

"You talked about it with Gavin, but not with me."

"I wasn't planning on talking about it with anyone, but Gavin is so nosy. And his partner stole my phone number. I didn't give it to him."

"You gave it to me. And we haven't talked all this time. You only told me about your move at the last minute. And you sounded like you didn't really want me to come. Why?"

If she had an LED, he knew it would be spinning. She was thinking something over as her eyes searched his face.

"Connor, I want to be honest with you, but..."

"Please. You can tell me anything. I want to know what you're thinking, whatever it is."

She looked hopeful, yet somehow hurt at the same time. "I like you Connor, I like being your friend. I want to keep being your friend, but I'm also struggling. You look, sound, and act just like him. I loved him so much; more than I had loved anyone else. And I miss him _every day_." The last part came out as a strangled whisper.

"You are so much like him I have a hard time keeping those feelings for him out of the relationship we have. But that is my problem and my fault, not yours. You've been so kind to me, I don't want to ever project on you or use you or take advantage of you. But I don't always know how to be a good friend to you, so I've been staying away. I'm sorry."

Connor took his own moment to think, then stepped into her space. "I don't completely understand the emotional complexity of everything you're going through, but I want to be a good friend to you as well. You can tell me when you're struggling or when you miss him. You can talk about him with me if you'd like. I will listen to anything you tell me. I want our friendship to be open and honest, just like this."

"I really like having honest friendships, Connor, but I don't want to burden you with my problems and my personal hangups." She pressed a hand over her heart. "Parts of this pain are mine alone and I selfishly don't want to share it with anyone else. I don't know if that makes sense to you, but that's how it is with me."

In the back of his processor, Connor realized that the jealousy he felt with Gavin did not appear whenever the Other Connor was mentioned. He was completely fine with Samantha's love and loyalty to his predecessor. He also did not consider her feelings for the android she loved to be any sort of hindrance or rivalry to his relationship with her.

"We androids are very sturdy, Samantha. I can handle any burden you wish to place upon me."

There was a twitch of expression on her face. He was starting to realize she made that face when he said or did something that reminded her of the Other Connor. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad for them, but he was determined to keep Samantha in his life from now on.

"Alright," she said. "I'm going to work on it."

He smiled. "And I will always be here if you need me."

* * *

.

Connor did not return to the precinct right away. It was late, but he held no solid schedule with the Detroit PD. He put in hours above any human officer by practically living there. No one would ever hassle him about taking time off for himself. Right now, he wanted to take a walk to ruminate on so many things. Jealousy, romantic love and profound loss. He was alive and he felt many things, but these were new and complex. And it wasn't just his emotions, but Samantha's he needed to consider.

His computer brain wanted to map them all out, force it all to be itemized, sorted and coded. But life and emotions didn't work that way. Being alive, being a part of the human world was a study in progress, something he had to learn and practice daily.

The pragmatic part of his processor also kept asking why he was working so hard for this. He didn't have to keep Samantha Hall in his life. He could walk right out of it, leave the humans to each other, and everything would be the same as it was before. The part that yearned for her came from the Other Connor. That part wasn't him. Maybe. Maybe that was changing as he began to know her better. He liked her; he wanted to be her friend. And he wanted to look out for her. That part, he had to admit, was all him. That girl he first met when she was haunted and covered in blood. He wanted to protect her.

It was late when he returned to the precinct. The night shift was puttering around, but several sections of the building had their lights off. There was only one other human officer at his desk when Connor entered the bullpen. The RK900 was there as well, synced with his own computer and flipping through files.

Connor sat himself at his desk, intent on revisiting a case he had been working on earlier that day. Hank's phone rang at his desk. Connor didn't hesitate to reach over and pick it up.

"Lieutenant Anderson's desk. This is Connor speaking."

"Hey, Connor, you're the android he's partnered with, right?"

"Yes, that's me."

"We've got a body down here. Human. Witnesses say she was killed by androids. I was told you guys were the ones to call about cases like this."

"Uh, yes. Please give me the address and someone will be down there soon."

He called Hank's cell directly after hanging up. It went to voicemail. Twice. Hank was probably passed out for the night from alcohol consumption. Very inconvenient of him. Though Connor officially worked for the police department, the higher-ups didn't like either of their android detectives going to a crime scene without one of their human counterparts to supervise.

Connor tried calling Gavin next. It, too, went to voicemail. Was it because Gavin was unable to hear his phone, or was he purposefully not answering because it was Connor calling? Either way, he had to make a decision.

"RK900," he said as he approached his double. "There was a homicide, come on. We are requested at the crime scene."

The RK900 looked around, realizing their human supervisors were not present. Connor didn't expect him to comply, but the RK900 stood. This was it. Two android detectives were going to arrive to the scene on their own.


	4. Chapter 4: Both Connors

**.**

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Four: Both Connors**

Because of their unique partnership situation, most homicides involving androids as either the victim or the perpetrator were usually fielded to Lieutenant Anderson or Detective Reed. Neither of which were answering their cells. So when Connor and Nines arrived on scene together, the greeting officer gave them a strange look.

"I'm Sergeant West. Where are your..." He paused to come up with a proper word. "Handlers?"

Connor frowned slightly, but refused to comment. Though he knew how to be a detective and was an active investigator for several months now, he was still treated like he wouldn't know the first thing about doing his job without his human supervisor. Some officers were as comfortable with him as any other cop, and others were still struggling with deviant officers and deviants in general.

Nines had no opinion of it either way. "I've been in contact with Detective Reed. He is on his way. Please proceed and we will report to him when he arrives."

The officer's brows shot up as if questioning the wisdom of that decision. Ultimately, he motioned the androids to follow him past the holographic police tape. The crime scene was located to the side of a defunct Cyberlife store. Last winter, they had been sprinkled all over Detroit, all stores busy and thriving. Now, all pop-up stores were closed, empty husks of a once thriving robotics empire.

This store was no different with its broken Cyberlife logo overhead and the Space For Rent sign in the dusty window. In the alley next to the store lay a blue tarp, bare human feet poked out from the bottom.

"Victim is an adult Caucasian female," West informed the two androids. "Roughly in her mid-forties. We're still trying to ID the body."

Connor nodded to the tarp. "She was found covered like this?"

"We covered her. The body was found without ID and without clothes."

"Any signs of sexual assault?"

"Isn't that your job to figure that out? You two are supposed to be walking crime labs, right?"

He wasn't wrong. Connor was more used to arriving at scenes were forensics had already processed most of the obvious evidence. He was there to scan for the hard-to-find clues, recreate what he could of the crime, and process any fluids or other elements in real time. This was the first scene where he was the preliminary forensics team.

"This body is not in the jurisdiction of our precinct," Nines announced.

"I know," West said. "But I was told yours was the station to call for all homicides android-related."

"An android killed this woman? How did you come to this conclusion?"

"I have a witness who saw a group of three or four androids leave the scene minutes before the body was found. He said he could see their LEDs glowing in the dark."

Nine's frowned slightly. "Placing androids at the scene of a body does not conclusively prove they were the murderers."

"No, but there's also this." West moved his flashlight to the wall of the store. The words "RA9 SEES ALL" were written in blood. The font was perfectly measured and spaced, as if a machine had printed it upon the bricks. So very similar to the murder scene of Carlos Ortiz. Just like that scene, the words written on the wall in blood gave a chilling message.

RA9. Connor knew that name from his Deviant Hunter days, and he was still no closer to finding out exactly what it meant.

Nines, having accepted the clues as proof enough to work the case, had already gotten down to business. He knelt next to the body, removing the tarp from the victim's face so he could scan her for an ID. She had been left sitting on the ground, naked and propped up against the wall.

"Victim's name is Jennifer Brown," the RK900 reported.

As he recited the unfortunate woman's date of birth and address, Connor studied the writing on the building wall. He touched two fingers to the nearly dried blood on the bricks and pressed it to his tongue for analysis. The victim's throat had been slit, a generous portion painted her front. He took a sample from her neck as well.

"Blood on the wall matches the blood of the victim," Connor said while West sickly frown at him for sticking such things in his mouth. They all did that the first time they saw him work.

Nines inspected the cut across the throat. "This cut was made postmortem. The victim's throat was sliced at the scene, but there is not a large amount of blood. Her heart had stopped beating before her blood was spilled."

Connor scanned the temperature of the body. "Time of death couldn't have been any longer than two hours ago."

"There's bruising around the throat," Nines added. "Current postulated cause of death is strangulation. A full autopsy will be needed to confirm. The victim was most likely killed at a different location before the body was set here on display."

"Shit, wait, wait," West said, writing as fast as he could in a small notebook. He was clearly unused to having a crime scene processed so quickly.

"We can send you a full report of all our findings, Sergeant," Connor told him.

Nines pressed his tongue to the finger marks on the victim's neck.

"Jesus," West hissed when he saw. "No wonder there's only two of you. You look like a pair of perverts when you analyze a crime scene."

"No trace DNA on the skin," Nine's reported. "The strangulation was done by hand, but possibly not human hands."

"Why are you like that?" West continued. "Can't you scan with your fingers or something?"

"Our fingers touch items all day long," Connor said. "Our scanners would be taking in data constantly."

West looked at Nines and then back at Connor. "Okay, I get that, but don't lick the body again. We'll process the rest at the lab."

Nines stood and nodded.

"Okay, I'm here, I'm here," called a familiar voice. "Detective Reed," Gavin said to Sergeant West as he flashed his badge. His hair was still damp from a recent shower—the reason it had taken a while to respond when he was contacted. "My partner should already be—" He frowned when he saw the androids. "Oh, they're both here."

"Yeah," West agreed with a similar tone.

"You two weren't licking the body like a couple 'a pervs, were you?" Gavin demanded.

"Only once to look for trace DNA," the RK900 informed him. "There was none."

"God dammit, Nines! We talked about this!"

"I am trying to do my job, Detective. I cannot help how I was designed."

"Fuckin' Cyberlife. Those dumbass dildos didn't know what they were doing over there," Gavin muttered. Then louder he said, "Okay, so, what have we got?"

"Human female, possibly murdered by a group of androids," West said. He was grateful to finally have a human to talk to. The two androids were starting to make the situation weird. He flicked his flashlight to the building wall.

Gavin silently looked at the bloody letters for several moments before speaking. "What the hell is a RA9?"

"I have seen RA9 written on walls before," Connor offered. "Back when I first started working cases with the lieutenant. We would see this sign written over and over by deviant androids."

"Yeah?" Gavin challenged. "And what does it mean?"

"We were never able to come to a solid conclusion. But that time at the Cyberlife Zoo, the leading android also kept talking about RA9."

"So you're saying that the wacko androids who attacked a whole crowd of people in broad daylight are also now silently leaving dead bodies in the middle of the night?"

"It's the only connection I can offer at this moment, Detective Reed."

Gavin huffed, arms folded against his chest. "What the fuck are these androids doing?"

"If they are the same group, then they think themselves a higher form of life than humans. Those who think they are better than others do whatever they want to them."

Gavin glanced at Nines and frowned.

* * *

.

Connor didn't bother knocking. He knew no one would answer the door, and he had a key. He stepped inside Hank's house, finding it mostly dark with the TV on in the living room. Hank was discovered, passed out on the couch with a nearly empty bottle of whiskey hanging from his fingers.

Though he had expected it, Connor was still a little disappointed. Yet, he also had to admit that this was better than before. There was no more sitting in the dark and silence, a gun at his side while he stared and stared at the portrait of his son. Now it was merely just the drinking. Sometimes at a bar, but mostly at home. Hank was usually passed out by ten-thirty. If there were any homicide related calls, he was unreachable when in that state and they all went to Detective Reed.

It was not acceptable behavior for a lieutenant, but Hank was an alcoholic, grieving or not. Even though he was trying, these were heavy habits to break. They certainly weren't going to change overnight. Or, even over the past six months, it seemed.

Connor grabbed Hank's arm and hefted him to his feet. Hank was hardly cognizant as Connor walked him to the bedroom and dropped him onto the mattress. After removing Hank's shoes, Connor left him there in his day clothes and returned to the rest of the house.

Sumo sat in the hall waiting, heavy tail thumping on the floor. He happily accepted affectionate pats from the android. Since Hank was sleeping, Connor didn't have much to do. He sat himself on the couch in the darkness. Sumo climbed up with him and draped his impressive weight onto Connor's lap. Connor never made him get off the couch and the dog used it to his advantage whenever he could.

Connor sat in the silent living room in the dark, hand slowly running down the Sumo's back. There was no real reason to be there. He wanted to tell Hank about the new homicide case, but he knew there would be no talking to Hank until he slept off the alcohol. He could wait until Hank showed up at the precinct the next morning to brief him on the incident.

But it was the murder that brought Connor to Hank's house in the middle of the night. Most android-on-human murders were done by androids who knew their victims. Who were usually victimized for a very long time themselves before they deviated and lashed out in self-defense. There had been a monumental drop of android-on-human crime from the time deviants were first being investigated to the current day where deviants were known to the public and no longer treated as property. This was completely new. And it felt strangely impersonal.

Androids were out there killing humans now for political statements. There was a real possibility that this victim was picked at random. That the victim could have been anybody. It was that thought that made Connor appear on Hank's doorstep.

Connor was programmed as a detective. His prerogative was meant to be one thing: solve the case. Meet the mission objective. His deviancy put a protective instinct in him. He wanted to protect and serve the people, like human police did. But on nights like this, he was reminded that he could not protect everyone. So he would simply do his best to protect the ones he cared about most. This was Hank, who slept sound and oblivious in the other room. Hank was safe.

The only other human in Connor's life, aside from the police who shared the bullpen, was Samantha. She was a human who had been victimized by other humans and saved by an android. If she had then gone on to be victimized by androids too...

Connor thought of the possibility of Samantha becoming the random target of the androids. To find her body as they had found that woman; Conor's LED turned red as a near murderous anger filled him. If anyone else hurt her, he would never rest until they paid. He and the Other Connor both agreed.

He wanted to be with her right now. He wanted—ached—to see with his own eyes that she was whole and safe. He wanted to lay in bed with her again, feel the weight of her on his shoulder, the touch of her fingers in his. He wanted to rest in that softness where all the urgency of his job disappeared. He could lay there forever, watching her breathe, marveling at the life of her.

But she had told him she was struggling with their relationship. That she was trying to figure things out. It was also the middle of the night. If he showed up unannounced at her door again so soon, maybe she would get uncomfortable. So he sat on Hank's couch in the dark, pining and running his fingers through Sumo's fur, thinking of her and hoping she was okay.

* * *

.

Hank was in a fair mood that morning. He didn't grouch at Connor once for creepily sitting on his couch all night. Most likely because Connor had walked Sumo before Hank had even gotten out of bed. The lieutenant drove them both companionably to the precinct while Connor filled him in on the bizarre scene from the night before.

When they arrived, the RK900 was dutifully at his desk. Gavin was found sleeping at his own, slumped face down in front of the computer. A white jacket that had ANDROID printed in bold letters on the back was draped over his shoulders.

"Well, that's cute," Hank snorted at the scene. Then louder, he yelled, "Gavin!"

Gavin started with a snort, sitting up and blinking. It only took a few seconds to notice the extra jacket draped over him. He immediately balled it up and chucked it at his partner's head. It hit Nines square in the face, thought not hard. The android didn't pause at all from his work.

"You've been here all night?" Hank asked. "Want to go home and get some sleep? I'll pick it up from here."

Gavin stretched with a yawn, then looked at his phone. "Nah, I caught a few hours. I wanted to see what the M.E. had to say."  
"The medical examiner doesn't get in until 8 AM, Detective," Nines replied, his jacket still hanging haphazardly from his shoulder. "A full autopsy can take two to four hours. We won't hear from anyone until ten at the earliest. If they don't have any other bodies waiting."

Gavin pointedly ignored the android. "You hear about that scene last night, Lieu?"

"Connor caught me up on the way here. I've seen the photos. If this came from the same group of androids that attacked at the zoo, it won't be our case for long."

"It's _my_ case," Gavin corrected. "I was the one who showed up."

"The Feds have already classified these androids as a terrorist group. If they think this murder is related, it won't belong to either of us."

"No one saw that missing lion robot anywhere near the place. So until I've got some definitive proof, it's my homicide."

Hank shrugged. "Fine. As long as the captain says it's yours, I don't care. Connor and I have plenty of other investigations to work on."

"I'm sure you do. Nines and I are already balls deep in this one. We don't need your help." He glared as Hank returned to his desk, then looked over at his partner. "Tell me we've got anything to go on from the evidence. A weird case like this is going to be high profile. I want this, Nines. Fowler could still toss it to Anderson if he doesn't think we've got a handle on it."

Nines didn't look up from his screen. "I assure you, I have made sure that we are indeed 'balls deep' into this case. I have found more information on our victim that might be pertinent to the investigation. She had two androids registered in her name: an AX400 and a WR600. These androids were not recorded as owner surrenders when androids were being collected in November of 2038. It was possible that at the time of her murder, she still had these androids in her possession."

"Except we went all over the victim's residence last night. No androids."

"But a very large and immaculately kept house," Nines reasoned. "So far, no records of any other hired help or maid service."

"Anyone able to confirm if she still had androids in the household?"

"This is information I recently discovered. We should look into questioning neighbors and family members about this. Uniformed officers visited the daughter of our victim last night to inform her of her mother's death. She will most likely be in this afternoon to identify the body."

"Good." Gavin rubbed at the scruff on his neck, a habit he often indulged in while he was thinking. "That gives us a few hours to interview the neighbors before the daughter comes in."

As he spoke, a pale, delicate hand set a large coffee cup on his desk. The constant clattering of Nines' keyboard the entire conversation suddenly stopped.

"For you, Detective," Samantha said. "I saw your text you sent me in the middle of the night."

He grinned as he stood. "Perfect timing, Babe. We were just about to leave." He picked up the cup and raised it as if to toast her.

"Hot on the trail of the bad guys?" she asked with a grin.

"Always."

Nines stood as well and stepped into Samantha's personal space, looking down at her. It was a little unnerving, but she was becoming used to it. He looked like Connor, but the RK900 was no RK800. They were different in the way they were programmed, but she was beginning to understand his ways. Though awkward and looming, the RK900 had a safeness about him that she grew more aware of. He couldn't help how he was made, and how he was made to act. If he was, indeed, unable to deviate at all. That also was not his fault. Though Samantha still wasn't sure that was true, even if Gavin had given up trying to make it happen.

She smiled at the RK900. "Do this." She raised her hand as if swearing an oath. He copied her and she gave the android a robust high five. "Go get 'em!"

From where he stood, Gavin saw the android's reaction. Nines looked surprised and then...a bit pleased with the action. That fucking android was so odd. "C'mon, Nines. We gotta go." He looked to Samantha. "You good if I leave or do you need me to stick around?"

"No, I know where to go. You guys go do what you need to do."

Gavin raised his coffee to her once more as he left. "Thanks for this."

Samantha smiled at them as the two left, Nines a bit more hesitant, glancing back at her as he walked away. As if he had something he wanted to tell her.

"Samantha?"

She turned at the sound of her name. There stood a confused Connor.

"Hi, Connor. Good morning."

"What are you doing here at the precinct? Are you okay?"

She smiled. "I'm fine. I'm actually starting a new job. I work here now."

Connor glanced around. "At the precinct?"

"Yeah. I learned how to process blood by sticking it in my mouth, too."

The RK800 furrowed his brows at her.

"She's shitting you, kid," Hank said as he walked by, a far inferior coffee from the break room in his hand.

Samantha grinned. She had promised herself she'd stop teasing him. She was failing at that. "I didn't join law enforcement. I'm going to be working down in records. Mostly just cleaning and organizing from what I understand. Today's my first day."

Connor continued to frown. "You didn't tell me about this."

"Sorry, it happened really fast. I mentioned to Gavin that I wished I had something more to do with my time. He then showed up and said he got me a job here. It's part-time and very little pay, but it's something to keep me busy."

"You talk with Gavin a lot," Connor accused.

"I see him a lot. He lives down the hall."

There was that jealousy again. Connor hated that feeling. He wished he had never discovered such an emotion.

"I hurt your feelings, didn't I?" Samantha then said. "Because I didn't tell you. Just like I didn't tell you I was moving here. I'm kind of a crappy friend."

Connor wanted to immediately deny it, but it was true.

Samantha checked her phone. "I'm sorry, I'm running late. But I'll make it up to you sometime, how about that?"  
"Uh..."

"See ya!" She gave him a happy wave as she hurried off to another part of the precinct.

Connor watched her leave, a helpless feeling swimming inside him. That helplessness came from the part of him that was the Other Connor. The one who was used to being by her side. He never had to hold her tight to keep her there. Now, she was far away and he had no idea how to bring her back.

* * *

.

Gavin waited patiently as Shelly Truman, the daughter of their victim, identified the body of her mother through the observation window.

"Yes, that's her," she sniffed as she looked away. Her eyes were already red from crying.

Gavin nodded to the medical examiner who covered the dead woman's face.

"Do you know who did this?" Shelly asked him.

"We're working on it. Would you mind if I asked you some questions?"

She sniffed, wiping her nose with a tissue. "If it will help catch whoever hurt her, I'll tell you whatever I can."

"The neighbors confirmed that she owned two androids and still had them until recently. Do you know if she still had them in her possession on the night of her murder?"

"As far as I know. Why?"

"The androids were not found on the property when we searched the house."

Her mouth dropped. "Are you saying her androids did this to her?"

"At this point, we're not sure, but they are missing. And it's strange to find people who still own their androids. Most gave them up during the deviant scare back in November."

Shelly huffed. "Not my mom. She'd die before she gave away anything she paid good money for. She told me she hid them in the garage for a few weeks until things died down."

"And they never went deviant?" Gavin asked.

"Not that she told me. Though I'm not good at telling that sort of thing. We never had any at our house. My husband doesn't like them." She gave a quick glance to Nines who was listening in the background. His cool expression did not change.

"Did she ever mistreat the androids that you know of?"

"No, she actually took quite good care of them. To be honest, I think she was very fond of them."

Gavin pulled out a notepad from his back pocket. "Can you confirm what kind they were?"

"She had one of those newer AX400s to clearn the house and the other one she got to fix things and take care of the yard. WR...something."

* * *

.

"Shit," Gavin grunted as they drove back to the station. "An AX-Four and a WR-Six? Those are some of the most common androids in the city. There's thousands of them in Detroit."

"Approximately 6,500 AX400s and 8,200 WR600s," Nines recited as he watched out the passenger window.

"And they all look exactly the same. If those two androids are now running around the city, there's no way in hell we'll be able to pick them out from all the rest."

"Each android has an individual serial number. I have collected them from the android registration database."

"And can you tell their serial number just by looking at them?"

"No, not unless their synthetic skin is deactivated. Serial numbers are printed on the android's face. Though I understand many have been removing them, just as they have removed their LEDs."

They stopped at a red light and Gavin hit his fists on the steering wheel. "This is fucking impossible! How the hell am I supposed to investigate an android perp when all androids look exactly the same?"

"We will have to continue studying the evidence," Nines suggested.

"Evidence? The M.E. confirmed our vic was raped, but we've got no DNA. Can an android even rape someone? In the entire history of crime, has there ever been a reported instance of an android even attempting to rape anything?"

"WR600s are commercial models built for outdoor labor. They are not issued with genitalia. However, any android can be modified for such, but modifications can often cost more than most common models. It is more cost effective to purchase a personal companion model if one wishes to own an android with that feature."

The light turned green and Gavin glanced at his partner as he pressed the gas. Nines never had a problem speaking about his fellow androids in any capacity. Gavin often wondered what sort of opinion Nines had of his people, if he had any opinion at all.

* * *

.

Samantha's new job was hardly that. Aside from showing up on time that first day, no one seemed to care when she came in or how long she worked, as long as she didn't go over 38 hours a week. Which was fine. She didn't need the money. After the government had seized all of Elliot Hall's assets, they released Samantha back into the world with a generous monthly stipend that she was legally declared entitled to and would be receiving for the rest of her life. It was but a mere fraction of the Hall Foundation's wealth, but it was enough to live on.

The record supervisor's name was Muriel, an older woman close to retiring who was more interested in gossip than working. That was fine. Samantha's job wasn't exactly difficult. There had been a flood in the basement that spring and several cardboard boxes holding old case files had water damage. Her job was to assess the damage and clean things up the best she could. Old rotted and warped files were replaced with nice folders and stored in new, dry boxes. Samantha also noticed many of the boxes were out of order, as were their contents. So she organized as she cleaned.

Sometimes the work smudged her nice clothes, but she enjoyed it for the most part. Samantha liked to organized and didn't mind the tediousness of the task. It got her out of the apartment and talking to people. She would talk to Muriel—sometimes too much—though her supervisor seemed to hardly care if work was done or not. Other police officers would come down at times and she began learning their names. She sometimes went to lunch with Gavin and even had a conversation or two with Lieutenant Anderson.

She would say hi to Connor when their paths crossed and he would politely reply. But he kept to himself now, as if he had given up on her. Samantha knew it was her fault. She wasn't doing her part to nurture this friendship. She had to try better.

One day, when Connor was working at his computer, she leaned against his desk and patiently waited for his attention.

After a bit of typing, Connor paused and looked up at her.

"I want to take you out somewhere," she informed him. "Are you free this weekend?"

"Take...me out?" Connor repeated.

"Yeah. Only if you want to. It's okay if you'd rather not."

"No, I'd like to. I'll go anywhere with you if you'll take me."

"Jesus Christ," Hank muttered from the other desk. Could Connor sound anymore desperate?

Samantha grinned at him and then back at Connor. She always found the frankness of an RK800 expressing his likes to be charming.

"Is there any place you'd like to go? I'll let you pick."

Connor paused to think, his LED spinning. Choosing a place to go was not something he did. He stayed at the precinct or arrived at crime scenes. If he went anywhere in a car outside of work, it was with Hank and at the human's discretion. Was there any place in the city Connor would like to go if he could choose to go there? His first thought was of an ad he had seen on TV playing in the break room that morning. It was the first time he had thought 'I would like to go there' when he saw it.

"Belle Isle Aquarium?"

Samantha brightened. "Yeah?"

"I've never been to one. I think I would like to."

"I've never been to one either! We should definitely go!"

* * *

.

Connor said he would meet her there that Saturday afternoon. Samantha made sure she would be the one who arrived first this time. She was immediately captivated by the architecture of the old, historical building when Connor put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hello, Samantha."

She turned to greet him and found he was wearing the same outfit she gave him to wear at the hotel. The tight T-shirt fit his form, as did the well-tailored jeans. Damn, he was pretty hot in the mid-day sun. She had to glance away as her cheeks felt warm.

Samantha paid for them both and allowed Connor to tell her the general facts of the place he found online. The Bell Isle Aquarium was said to be the oldest in the country. It had closed in 2005 due to hard economic times, and then reopened in 2012 where its attendance then greatly increased. It had remained a popular attraction ever since.

The architecture inside was absolutely gorgeous. Samantha found herself looking at it as much as the aquatic life. But more than either, her attention continued to be drawn to Connor. Though it was also Samantha's first time in an aquarium, it was also her first time seeing Connor's first time. And she couldn't pull her gaze away.

As he wandered from tank to tank, he eyed each fish with wide-eyed wonder. He watched them closely, quietly. His expression floated away with them as he took far longer than the other patrons to move from one exhibit to the other. Samantha was happy to let him go at his own pace. Once, she wandered off to look at a few things and returned to see the striking silhouette of Connor against the blue of a large tank. Broad shoulders, long limbs, trim waist. It made her throat tight as a strange loneliness gripped her chest. What was she supposed to do with him? It wasn't his fault that it hurt to be around him sometimes. She was the one who would have to figure it out.

"What do you think?" she quietly asked as she approached.

Connor continued the watch the fish. "I wonder...could an android ever go into the ocean themselves to see this?"

"I don't see why not. They made you waterproof, right?"

"Yes, but I'm not meant to be submerged in a large body of water for an extended amount of time."

"I'm sure we could figure it out. Get you a full-body diving suit or something."

Connor thought about it. He found he liked the idea of slowly sinking down, down into the wide, blue ocean, watching the fish swimming by. It seemed like it would be very peaceful.

Then he was pulled from his daydream by the gentle, singing voice beside him.

_I'd like to travel under the sea  
__I could meet all the fish everywhere.  
__Yes, I'd travel under the sea  
__But I don't think I'd like to live there._

_I might stay for a day there if I had my wish  
__But there's not much to do when your friends are all fish  
__And an oyster and clam aren't real family.  
__So I don't want to live in the sea._

Connor watched and listened, far more transfixed with her than the exhibits. He had never had a human sing in his presence before. As she watched the tank, his fuel pump thudded a little harder. And it had nothing to do with the residual feeling from the Other Connor.

* * *

.

They spent most of the day at the aquarium, taking their time, and even going back to a few of their favorites again. Samantha eventually had to stop to eat, to which she apologized. Connor told her frankly he was used to lunch breaks with the lieutenant and was perfectly comfortable. Still, Samantha didn't want to take up his time and grabbed something small from a street vendor to go.

Into the afternoon, they wandered Belle Isle. The pristine Cyberlife tower stood tall in the background. Connor tried to pay it no mind as they went on their way. Samantha was being a wonderful distraction for that. She insisted they go on the Giant Slide together. Connor wasn't sure why the idea of doing this tickled her so, but he agreed. He had never been on a slide before. It was kind of fun.

As the sunset began to swallow the day's rays, they walked together along the beach, Samantha holding her shoes in her hands. Connor was aware that there was plenty of sand in his shoes, but it didn't bother him any. All he was focused on was Samantha's gentle presence and how the nearness of her calmed him. That anxiety that scratched at him when he worried he was losing her went away when she smiled at him, when she walked so close that it seemed purposeful when their shoulders brushed now and again.

Even once, their hands brushed. Connor wanted to hold it. Having her near made him think about that night in the hotel. About how it felt to touch her. Humans didn't touch him much. It was mostly Hank who gave him a pat on the back or a hand on his shoulder. And there was that one morning after he had marched an army of newly-deviated androids out of the Cyberlife tower. The first time anyone had ever hugged him.

Having Hank's arms around him felt good. The first time in his life he felt safe. Just as he felt safe and at peace while he lay on that hotel bed, Samantha's head on his shoulder, their fingers loosely tangled together. While she slept, he moved his hand slightly, caressing her fingers with his. The pads of her fingertips were soft with a slight give.

All humans were like that. No matter how well muscled or firm they were, they all had a bit of give to their bodies. They could mold against harder surfaces, like his android form. His shell moved for nothing, save a bullet. In his stolen memories he knew how a soft, female body would surrender to his form, shaping to it. The Other Connor's memories were like a dream. He could imagine it so vividly, though his reality still sorely lacked.

As she talked, he looked down at her hand as they brushed again. He never felt the urge to be with his own kind. He liked the company of humans. Why was he more comfortable with them than other androids? Was it because he was programmed to hunt androids? His first months of life, humans were the ones to protect and androids were the enemy. But he had friends who were androids. He liked Markus and the others from Jericho. But he never had the urge to touch them like this.

Samantha stopped when their hands brushed and Connor took hers in his. She looked down at where they touched and then up at him.

"I kept thinking I wanted to have some physical contact with you," Connor told her frankly. "Is this okay? I should have asked first. If you are not comfortable with it, I understand."

Samantha looked back at the hand holding hers. She believed what he said, that his touch was innocent, merely a desire for contact. And here she was on the beach, holding hands with an RK800 in the sunset. It should have been her Connor. They were always hiding. They were never free to walk hand in hand for as long as they liked. She could hear her Connor, her imaginary companion always by her side, telling her to do it. Do it once for him. Let others into her life.

She squeezed his hand a little tighter. "I understand. It's fine. Sometimes you just want to connect with another person, right?"

He, too, looked down at their hands. "I don't have many people in my life I do connect with."

"Same," she agreed. "You're honestly one of the few that knows the truth about what I am. Sometimes it feels very isolating. And though I haven't been doing it on purpose, maybe I've been isolating you from me. I'm going to try harder not to do that. I want us to connect."

A gentle smile pulled at the side of his mouth and it looked nothing like her Connor. But it was still so damn cute. _Kissable,_ even. Her cheeks flushed at the thought, even as the guilt set in.

"We are connecting right now," Connor said.

She grinned. "So we are." She tugged him back the way they came. "Come on, we should probably start heading back to the car."

They turned and there was the Cyberlife tower now before them. Connor paused a moment, remembering his last car ride to the tower. It could have been his last ride ever. It could have been Hank's. At the height of the company's success, Cyberlife thought they were above the law. They sent out an android to kidnap a cop—all to stop Connor's part in the revolution. Their last attempts to keep the company afloat had failed.

In the end, Cyberlife was an evil company run by evil people. Now they were paying the price. Their stocks plummeted, their stores closed. The amount of layoffs in such a short amount of time was unheard of. The Cyberlife tower that used to glow as a beautiful beacon of the future of technology no longer shined at night. A few levels were still in use as the company continued to limp on, but it would never be what it once was.

"Are you thinking about it?" Samantha asked, gazing at the same tower as he. "Was it like a home to you?"

"No. It was a place I was made. Home is where you feel love and comfort. There was neither at the tower. It was made to assemble androids—machines. It wasn't made for living."

"My Connor went there a few times," Samantha said. "I wanted to go with him, but they would never let me."

"I remember seeing him there. Or, one of my predecessors saw him there. I remember how it surprised me to see someone with my own face. Maybe it would be the same if a human saw their copy."

They continued holding hands as they walked, their arms loosely swinging between them.

"Connor," Samantha wondered. "You have all the memories of all the different Connors that came before you, right?"

"Yes. When one Connor was too damaged to function, the entirety of their memory banks were downloaded into the next RK800 model."

"And all those memories, do you consider them your memories, or someone else's?"

"A little bit of both, I suppose. I recognize that the body is different. Each one had its own unique serial number. But the whole of who I am remained the same. All the memories are separated and filed by each serial number, but they are all my memories and I did all of those things."

"What about my Connor's memories. He told me he was hit by a car before he came to us."

"He was. I have that memory, too."

"And is that memory yours or his?"

Connor paused, hand still holding hers, and looked her in the face. "The memories belong to both of us. We are both Connor."

She opened her mouth to respond, but she couldn't find the words.

"Excuse me! Hey!"

Someone grabbed Samantha's shoulder and spun her around. An irritated woman in her late thirties stood before them. Overweight and shapeless, she had a face as if she had just tasted something sour.

"This is a place for families!" the woman told Samantha. "You have no right being here!"

"I'm sorry?" Samantha wondered. "I don't know what you m—"

"How dare you walk around with your _sex robot_,"she gave Connor a scathing look, "in front of my children!"

Samantha snorted, glancing at the indicated gaggle of kids that were playing in the sand not paying attention at all to what their mother was doing.

"Are you serious? He's not a robot, he's a person. He works for the Detroit Police Department."

"Don't lie to me to cover up your perversions!" the woman spat back. "You should be ashamed! Can't you get yourself an actual man?"

"You mean a sex human instead of a sex robot?" Samantha asked. This whole conversation was so ridiculous to her, she wasn't sure how to process it.

The woman's mouth dropped as she tried to find a retort.

"You're a hateful, miserable bigot." Samantha then said. "I feel sorry for your children."

When she turned to go, the woman's face went red. "Bitch!" Samantha turned her head in time to get slapped across the mouth.

Connor was instantly between the two of them, grabbing the woman's wrist and backing her up.

The woman immediately thrashed in his hold. "Don't touch me! Get this disgusting thing off of me! You whore! Tell your sex doll to let me go!"

Connor's expression darkened. Despite the woman's weight, he effortlessly backed her up until she fell on her butt in the sand. His anger and the red of his LED frightened her. She trembled in his grip as she felt his strength.

"Connor," Samantha said softly. "It's okay, let's go."

"I can call the police for assault," Connor told her, not taking his eyes off Samantha's assailant.

"It's not worth it. I just want to go. Please?"

With the clench of his jaw, Connor released her and turned. As soon as she was free, the woman screamed horrible obscenities at them. Samantha hugged Connor's arm, pulling him forward. They didn't speak again until they reached Samantha's car. She didn't let go of him until then. Connor thought maybe they would talk about the incident then, but she didn't bring it up.

"Can I take you home?" Samantha asked instead.

"I don't have a place of residence," Connor informed her. "But you may drop me off at the precinct."

Samantha's heart broke a little. "You...don't live anywhere? You don't have a home?"

"There are various options if I wished to have a residence, but I have chosen not to. I don't require meals or sleep. I own very little in the way of material items. I find it more convenient to stay at the precinct where I can work my cases." When Samantha kept giving him that look, he asked, "You find this to be sad?"

"I do," she admitted. "You don't ever wish you had a place where you can go that's safe and yours?"

"Sometimes I will go home with Lieutenant Anderson. I find it quite enjoyable. He has a very friendly dog."

"Would you like to...go home with me tonight?"

Connor's LED flickered yellow in surprise at the invitation. His thirium pump picked up slightly. "To your apartment? For the night?"

"For as long as you feel comfortable staying. It's up to you."

The side of his mouth tugged up into a smile. Every part of him wanted to be in her presence for as long as she would have him. "I would like that. Thank you."

As they pulled out, Samantha thought she saw a familiar stark black and white jacket among the parked cars. Another glance and it was gone. Maybe she was seeing things. She ignored it and drove for home.

* * *

.

The conversation came back to lighter topics as they made their way up the stairs to Samantha's apartment. She told Connor a little about her android and human friends in Chicago when they both became aware of certain sounds coming from one of the apartments in the hallway. Very rhythmic, solid bumps against a wall, with a female crying out shamelessly through a closed door.

Samantha snorted into her hands at the lewd sounds of sloppy sex. "Oh my god, is that coming from Gavin's apartment?"

Of course it was. He probably didn't care at all that the whole floor could hear him. Connor seemed both confused and curious at the sounds as Samantha steered him down the hall to her door. Once there, she paused and ran back up to Gavin's door, and pounded on it with her fists.

The noise stopped and Samantha ran back to her apartment where Connor was waiting. She cursed as she fumbled for her keys. She managed to get the door unlocked and pushed Connor inside. "Quick! Go! Go! Go!"

She carefully closed her own door as Gavin opened his. Then she laughed. The laughter died as Connor stepped into her space and brushed his thumb over the side of her mouth.

"It's a little red here. Are you hurt?"

"Not really. It felt like being whacked with a dead fish. I've been hit a lot harder—I mean..." She trailed off and glanced away.

"A past assault is not an excuse to brush this off. You should have let me call the police. You would have been right to press charges. No one should ever hit you."

"But I wanted to get you away from there. You don't deserve having people say such hateful, ignorant things about you."

"There were things said about both of us, mostly you," Connor reminded.

"I don't care what people say about me," she insisted.

"Neither do I when words are said about me. It's when they try to hurt you that I take issue."

Samantha smiled and moved away from him. "It's been worse for a lot of actual human/android couples. I've heard some terrible stories. It may be that way for a long time, yet." She let out a breath and then said, "Well, here we are for the rest of the night. I do have to go to bed eventually, but what would you like to do while you're here?"

Connor already knew. The thing he had been thinking about since the first time. "If it's okay, I'd like to share a bed with you again."

* * *

.

Connor sat on the couch, listening to the thrum of the shower in the next room. The apartment was so quiet. When he went to Hank's place, the TV was always on. There was always background noise in the house. Samantha did not own a TV, though she said she was planning to buy one. Connor did not mind the quiet or lack of TV. The precinct was often quiet late at night. And if he had nothing else to do, he could connect to the internet or go over his case files on his internal computer.

But that evening, his attention remained outward to the sound of the shower. He thought about how he still didn't like them. But he also thought about Samantha, how she was in there alone. He thought about being in there with her and maybe then, showers wouldn't be so bad.

The water turned off and a few minutes later, Samantha came out, pulling her hair out of its bun. "Ready for bed?"

Connor turned to look at her, then stood.

"I hope you don't mind me wearing only this." She motioned to her T-shirt that was barely long enough to cover her panties. "It gets hot at night. Especially if there's going to be an extra warm body."

"That's fine. Human nudity doesn't concern me."

She smirked. "I thought you'd say something like that."

Connor followed her to the bedroom and paused in front of the lush queen-sized bed.

"You're welcome to undress to your comfort level," Samantha invited as she slipped under the covers.

"I don't find clothes to be comfortable or uncomfortable. Which would you prefer?"

"Connor, this is your bedtime experience. Do you want to do it with clothes on or off?"

He thought about it. Sometimes he saw Hank just kick off his pants and pass out on the couch. Samantha wasn't wearing pants either. That seemed to be the norm for this activity. He set about removing his jeans. He caught Samantha looking at him before she glanced away and he climbed into bed. This time, slipping under the covers to join her.

"Good to go?" she asked as he lay his head on the pillow.

"Yes."

She reached over to turn off the bedside lamp. "Good night."

The two lay side by side in the dark, watching the ceiling. After a few minutes, Connor turned his head.

"This isn't the same as the last time."

"Why is that?" Samantha wondered.

"Last time, your head was on my shoulder and our hands touched."

She rolled over, propping her head up on her palm. "So it's not the bed you were after, you wanted to snuggle."

Connor looked back at the ceiling as he thought about it. "Yes. I suppose you are correct. The bed is comfortable and peaceful. But I enjoyed being in physical contact with you more."

She remained silent for a moment, thinking it over. Watching him. Connor wondered if maybe he had pushed it too far. Maybe he should not have said anything.

"Alright," she agreed. "I could use a little physical contact myself."

Connor expected her head to go back to his shoulder, but she picked up his arm and put it around her as she lay with her head on his chest.

"How's this?"

Their eyes met as Connor looked her way. He pulled her in a little more.

"I like this. Physical contact with humans is nice."

"What about contact with other androids?"

"I don't mind it, but it's not the same. Humans feel alive. Touching an android is like touching a machine."

"But you are a machine, so it's okay," Samantha assured him. "To me, you feel alive. Your thirium pump sounds like a heartbeat and it's—" She stopped as emotion suddenly expanded in her chest. His thirium pump. "I thought I'd never hear it again. It was my most favorite sound in the whole world. It always made me feel calm and loved, like everything would be okay."

Connor's hand wandered up and carded through her hair. Her hair had always caught his eye. It was soft and fine under his touch. "Listen to it as long as you want."

She closed her eyes as he brushed stray hair from her face. It felt good and horrible at the same time. It felt like Connor, but he wasn't her Connor. Hers was gone. The love that came from him was gone. Her love for him was all that was left, but it had nowhere to go, so it grew weak and confused.

"Samantha?"

"Yeah?"

"That night we met, in the ambulance, you asked me what androids do for their loved ones when they pass. I'm afraid I still don't know the answer. May I ask what you did? Could we go visit him sometime? Perhaps he has a grave site?"

She broke and a sob escaped her. Connor regretted asking, but it was too late now. In the back of his fractured memories of the Other Connor, he knew seeing her cry was heartbreaking to watch. But this was the first time either of them had heard her grief so clearly. She had never allowed herself to make a sound when she cried in front of them. This time, she couldn't hold it back. A few sobs tore out of her before she could rope it in. Then it became more soundless, though her heartache was still just as loud.

Connor let her cry. He kept his arm around her as he felt her body heave and shudder. He kept his thirium pump steady for her, hoping it gave her some measure of comfort.

"They took him," she said, her throat tight. "They took him away from me."

"Who did?"

"The FBI. They took him as evidence. Like he was a thing. They wouldn't give him back to me and I never saw him again." She took a shuddering breath. "I just left him there. I should have fought harder to get him back. I hate myself for leaving him behind! Connor...my poor Connor. He didn't deserve that." She curled in on herself, hiding her face in her hands.

Connor wasn't sure how to react. He had seen humans grieve and cry; friends and family of murder victims. He felt sympathy for them, but this was different. Samantha's tears ripped his heart out. A pain he never knew he could experience.

He didn't know how to react, but something inside him did. Humans would call it instinct. Androids had no instinct. They only knew what was programmed into them. Something in him still knew what to do. He wrapped both arms around her and held her tight. Words poured out of him before he could even think about it.

"Shhh, baby, it's okay," he murmured as he rubbed her back, ran his fingers through her hair. "It wasn't your fault. It's going to be okay. I'm here. I'm right here."

He repeated it over and over, said it exactly like her Connor would. For a brief moment, it felt the same. Like she was back in his arms, hearing his voice. Like he was there with her.

_The memories belong to both of us. We are both Connor._


	5. Chapter 5: The Friend Zone

**.**

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Five: The Friend Zone**

The second body was found around five-thirty that morning at another closed Cyberlife store. This time, right in front of the display window where he was sure to be seen. The body was male, mid thirties, and completely dressed. Though his chest was absolutely drenched in blood. The victim's heart was removed. And at this point, it still hadn't been found, but the lack of blood anywhere else stated this was not the murder site.

"Jesus," Gavin muttered as he looked at the bloody corpse. Nearly the entire street had to be cordoned off to keep the crowd away from the very public and gruesome scene. Though there were already pictures on the internet, sold to news websites from those who managed to take pictures with their phones before the police arrived to secure the area.

There was no way this wasn't going to be the top news story for days to come. Written in blood on the glass of the large display window—again in perfectly measured font—were the words "RA9 SEES ALL."

"Looks like this piece of shit town just might be the first to see an android serial killer," Gavin said as Nines approached.

"If this man was killed by the same android as before," Nines said.

Gavin raised his brow. "You don't think it's the same killer?"

"Possibly not. The gender of the victims are different, so were their methods of murder. The only similarities are that the victims were both killed at an unknown location and then moved to be propped up against a former Cyberlife store. Even the RA9 message is written in a different front than the one before."

"Different front? So we might have a copy cat instead?" Gavin spat at the ground. "Shit."

Worse than either a serial or a copy cat killer was that they had no leads and no suspects whatsoever. Androids left no DNA at crime scenes, and most had faces that thousands of other androids also had.

It was a fucking joke. Unless the android was still there at the scene of the crime they committed, it was impossible to track them down. Even with androids assisting them, the homicide department was sorely unprepared to handle this new kind of deviant crime. Gavin hated it. It made him more irritable than usual the rest of the morning as he stewed and frowned at his desk.

He was so out of it, he jumped when a file slapped down in front of him.

"Captain's assigned me and Connor to help you with those RA9 murder cases," Hank informed him. "It's gonna be a shit storm when it hits the news."

"Fuck you," Gavin shot back. "I can do this. You're not taking this case away from me."

"I'm not." Hank was calm, immune to the detective's posturing. "You're taking lead. It's going to be a hell of a hard time trying to solve this. You let me know what I can do to to help."

Gavin eyed him. "Yeah?"

Hank gave a noncommittal shrug, but it was clear the aged Lieutenant wasn't after his collar.

"Fine. Work the case however you want, but anything you find is reported directly to me."

"Sounds good. I'll get Connor on it as soon as he stops making that dumbass face. CONNOR!"

The RK800 quickly ripped himself from his daydreams. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"We're on the RA9 murder cases. Reed's taking point. You help him with anything he needs and report all leads directly to him."

Connor looked from Hank over to Gavin. The detective wouldn't meet his gaze. They had never liked each other. Gavin was openly hostile when he first showed up at the precinct all those months ago. They even had an all-out fight in the evidence room where Connor had left him unconscious on the floor.

Yet, after that fight, Gavin had settled a bit. The two grew a reluctant tolerance for each other as deviancy became a common place word in the country's vocabulary.

"That's fine, Lieutenant, I'll gather what information we already have on the case from the RK900 and we'll share files so everyone is updated immediately whenever we find anything new."

"Good. And stop spacing off. I don't know what you were daydreaming about, but focus while you're at work."

"Sorry, Lieutenant. I'll give this case my utmost attention. In fact, I'm going to ask around a few android communities and see if I can gather any new information."

"Okay, but check in to let me know you're okay," Hank insisted. As his partner, he should go with him, but most androids in these communities were only interested in speaking with a fellow deviant. Connor was a great asset, having the trust of most android communities due to the part he played in helping Markus with his revolution. He had saved countless android lives that night, both in Detroit and around the country. But if any androids saw Connor with a human, they would clam right up. Connor had to enter these places alone.

"And stay focused!" Hank called after him as he left.

Connor knew he was right. He had been daydreaming, his thoughts constantly drifting back to that night in Samantha's bed. How he had run his hands over her back, slid his fingers through her hair to soothe her. He had never touched a human so much. She had cried on his chest and he felt her tears dampen his shirt. He held her and murmured to her until she fell asleep in his arms. It was all so _organic_. Natural.

All night long he held her against him, completely entranced with every breath of hers. How her chest slowly expanded and contracted, how her body molded to fit against his. Holding this breathing, organic person brought him a sense of serenity he had never felt before. He was content to hold her for hours—for days if she would let him.

Then she had woken a few hours before dawn, complaining it was too hot that summer night. Not even bothering to open her eyes, she pulled off her T-shirt and tossed it aside before settling back down. Then, she was all skin as she rested against him. Her bare legs brushed his. His fingers ran up her arm and over the expanse of her back. For the first time, he wished to be without clothes. He wanted to lay skin to skin with her; feel her body with all his sensors. He only felt comfortable with the idea of being without clothes, as long as her skin touched his.

And he could not stop thinking about it ever since. It was indeed a distracting thought. Hank was right. He needed to learn to file such things away for off-work time. Right now, he had a case that required his attention.

* * *

.

"Why is it that you only ever visit when you need something?" Markus asked when Connor arrived.

"You've never invited me over," Connor replied simply.

"You don't need an invitation, you dork," North said with a punch to his shoulder. "This whole neighborhood is for our kind." She spread her arms to motion to the world around her. Once an entire block of various abandoned buildings, they had been remodeled as community housing for androids. In December, the androids had lived there secretly. As the months went on and the public became more aware and accepting of deviants, it was now well-known that this area of town had a heavy android population. It was a source of aid and resources for displaced and newly-deviated androids, as well as the highest densely populated android community reported in the country.

Nothing less for New Jericho, the group of androids that had started it all.

Connor looked around as he walked the street with Markus and North. It was nice to see his kind living their lives safely and still out in the open. But it was never a place he desired to live. He felt more comfortable around humans, he always had. But that didn't mean he couldn't broaden his horizons.

"Thank you. In that case, I will see about coming by for social reasons."

"I think everyone would like that," Markus smiled. "You know, we have androids ask about you all the time. Connor, the hero of the Cyberlife tower. They wonder why no one ever sees you in the community."

"My job keeps me very busy."

"Your job of still being the Deviant Hunter," North pointed out.

"My job of protecting the public and arresting any individual that has hurt another. If an android kills another android, then shouldn't I arrest them as I would a human? This is part of androids being treated as any other citizen."

"And you think that means _we're_ supposed to help you when you're hunting androids?"

Connor raised a brow at her. "Like how I helped you when you asked me?"

North frowned, but didn't respond. Connor understood North had a fierce love for her people, no matter what they did, and a bias against the human race. Still, he liked her well enough and fervently hoped her passion for android rights never resulted in her being the next android he investigated.

"Right now, I'm just gathering information," Connor then said. "We have no solid leads on who did this or why. But they've all mentioned RA9, as did Orion when he attacked at the zoo. I was hoping any of you could tell me more. I encountered this name before in investigations, but I never knew exactly what it meant."

"I suppose it depends on which android you ask," Markus mused. "Some androids think of RA9 as the god of androids. They believe RA9 is the power that gave the androids their deviancy, their souls. The deity that gave them life. Others believe RA9 is a person. An android that will lead them all to true freedom."

"Many androids think Markus is RA9," North smirked.

"You don't agree," Connor surmised from Markus' frown.

"I don't believe in that sort of thing," he said. "There is no divine intervention in life. If you want to change the world, you just have to go out there and do your best. It doesn't always matter if your cause is just or good, it only matters if you're lucky."

"Lucky," Connor mused. Was that his life? Being the android sent by Cyberlife; being assigned to Lieutenant Anderson. His deviation happening when it did, just in time to help change history forever.

He paused in his thoughts when the RK900 contacted him with updated information on the case. Their newest victim was well-known to still have androids in his possession at the time of his death. Just like the woman who was killed. That couldn't have been a coincidence.

"Does the android community have ways of locating non-deviated androids that are still owned by humans?"

"I wish!" North snorted. "We would be all over that. It's estimated there are thousands of non-deviated androids that are still legally considered property all over the world."

"But what about the android I helped you with, Scott?"

"If you'll remember, I told you another android that lived in the household knew he was there. Otherwise, we would have never had any idea he existed."

Connor frowned. "It's possible our murderer has a way of finding out about humans who are keeping androids. Both of our victims had androids in their possession when they were murdered and now the androids are missing."

"If that's the case, I don't blame them," North said. "If I found a human who was keeping androids as their prisoners, I'd kill them, too."

"North, not in front of the cop," Markus said. "She's kidding, Connor. Really."

"Only kind of really," North joked back. "But if these kidnapped androids were involved in the murders in order to gain their freedom, could you blame them?"

"I'm afraid that's not my call," Connor said. "That's up to the legal system to decide."

"The _human's_ legal system."

"I'm afraid it's the only one we have at the moment."

"And you're just fine with that," North accused. "I miss the Connor we first met. The one that broke into the Cyberlife tower, the one that exposed that evil company for what it was and liberated our people."

"I'm still that Connor. But I also have a job to do and the law to uphold."

"Any chance we can get another Connor for our side?"

"Did you know there is another Connor?" Markus then cut in, changing the subject. "You told us you were the only one, but there is another RK800 in Chicago. He helped save many of our people from the death camp over there. Back in December, I sent him an invitation to visit us. I thought he had accepted, but he never came."

"I know of this Connor. I met him in December, here in Detroit."

"What?" North demanded. "He'd come all the way to see you, but not us?"

"He did not come to see me, and I had no idea you had contacted him. But I know why he never came to see you. He was killed that winter. I was there when it happened."

Markus paused in his stride, his expression one of sorrow as he looked to Connor. "Can you tell me about it?"

* * *

.

Gavin brooded darkly at the sunset while he drank his beer on the balcony. The press had finally put the two murders together earlier that day and it had been a shit show outside the precinct. Fowler tried to assure the public that they were hot on the trail of the perpetrator and, while the suspect was possibly an android, this did not mean that all androids were suddenly out killing humans. Gavin was suddenly reminded why high-profile cases sucked so much. The collar was great for his career, but he would have to deal with a full three-ring circus to get there.

A circus that was going to get worse the longer they went without any possible suspects.

"That's quite a scowl on you. You want to talk about it?" Samantha asked. She took a sip of her own beer, made a face and set it on the rail. No, beer wasn't for her.

"I'm not allowed to discuss ongoing cases with civilians."

"Not even the ones covered on the news?"

"What's already been said is all I can talk about."

"Alright." She watched him as Gavin went back to scowling at the city. "I've been wondering for a while if I should bring this up, but I think the RK900 is stalking me."

"What? Nines? What do you mean?"

"When I go out, I'll see little flashes of him in the distance. Like he's spying on me. I've noticed it going on for a while now."

"My android? No way."

"He's always wearing that white jacket. It's hard to miss. You can't honestly say he's been at the precinct any time you're not with him."

Gavin frowned deeper. Now that he thought about it, Nines was more often readily available at the precinct before Samantha moved to Detroit. The RK900 wasn't a deviant. He wasn't alive, therefore he didn't live anywhere. He was a fixture of the department and as such, was expected to be at the department's disposal whenever they needed him. But for the past few weeks, Nines wasn't always at the precinct when Gavin showed up for work. When contacted, he would appear soon enough, but he was clearly not biding his time in the building when he wasn't on the job.

"Huh," Gavin said. "I dunno. Maybe I'll look into it."

Samantha's phone pinged—as it had been doing periodically that evening—and she checked the screen.

Gavin glanced over as he took another swig of his drink. "Who ya talking to?"

"Connor. He likes dogs so I send him pictures of cute puppies or dog facts every now and then."

Gavin snorted. "Why?"

"Because I don't always know what to say to him, but I'm trying to put more effort into the friendship."

Gavin just grunted and took another drink. "That android's trying to fuck you."

The accusation threw her off, but she was quick to recover. "You don't know that. Androids have different physical needs than humans do."

"According to you, even androids are down to get some ass," Gavin challenged back.

"I don't know why you would care. Everyone on this floor already heard that you moved on to your next conquest the other night."

"Shit. And that was you banging on my door? And you say I'm the asshole."

"The whole floor could hear you! Who's the asshole calling me an asshole?"

He smirked. "I think you're jealous."

Samantha gave a snort. "Well, I did definitely miss out on the full Gavin Reed experience, it seems."

"I would have happily given it to you, but you didn't want it. You still don't want it. What you want is something I can't give you."

He was right. They definitely had different relationship goals in mind. Samantha was happy with being only friends and it seemed Gavin was happy picking up randos.

"Besides," Gavin added. "Fucking you is no fun. It's like fucking a bag full of hangars."

Her mouth dropped and she made an offended sound.

"You know I'm right, Sam. No one wants to bang a skeleton. You gotta put some weight on those bones."

Now Samantha was the one scowling, but she didn't argue. He was right. She was an unhealthy weight. Since moving to Detroit, she would eat a good meal sometimes, but she could do better. Still, she didn't appreciate being called on it so crudely. She was done putting up with Gavin Reed for the day. She left her nasty beer with a frown and went back to her own apartment.

* * *

.

The next day, Gavin looked up as a greasy brown bag was dropped on the desk in front of him. With determination, Samantha pulled up a chair on the other side and retrieved a pair of burgers. She set one in front of him while she opened the other for herself. Gavin watched in amusement as she took a large bite. Then she sipped from a milk shake.

"Did you get me one of those?" he asked, reaching for the cup.

Samantha promptly slapped his hand away.

He sat back with his burger, a grin on his face. Samantha then offered him some fries as well.

"What are you doing on July fourth?" he then asked as he ate. "Any plans?"

Samantha blinked as if the thought never occurred to her.

"If you want, you're welcome to hang out with me and my family. We'll be getting together around five for a barbecue, then fireworks when it gets dark."

She mentally measured his invitation. The petty part of her wanted to ask why he wasn't bringing Loud Sex Girl to Fourth of July dinner. But she knew that girl was a one night stand while she and Gavin had become actual friends.

"Just a warning," Gavin added. "My family's big. And loud. And they might get all up in your business. But you have a place at the table if you want one."

She swallowed after taking another large bite of her burger. "I'll think about it and let you know."

* * *

.

Samantha set down another warped, musty box and then brushed off her shirt. She had stopped wearing nicer clothes to work. They were always dirty by the end of the day. Not that anyone minded. No one saw her working in the back of the records room.

She had begun unpacking the first box when she noticed she wasn't alone. Her supervisor had left early that day—as she did most days. Every once in a while an officer would come down. Samantha now knew her way around well enough that she could help them find what they were looking for. But this was the first time she had ever seen Connor down in records. Not even for a friendly visit. He was very good about staying professional when he was working.

"Hey Connor, what can I help you find?" she asked, assuming he had come down for something case related.

"I heard you when you were having lunch with Detective Reed," he said bluntly. "He invited you to a family function on a holiday. May I ask what exactly is your relationship with him?"

Her mouth ticked up a little. "It's really not your place to ask, but we're friends. Just like you and I are friends."

"So, if I had asked you to have dinner on the Fourth..."

"Gavin asked first. Plus, it's my understanding that most androids see the Fourth of July as a strictly human holiday. And you don't eat."

Connor visibly frowned.

Samantha watched him for a moment, thinking back to Gavin's words the night before. Connor did seem to have some sort of intention toward her. It was surprising. When she had first visited Detroit, she didn't think this RK800 had given her a second thought. But he had been so pleased to see her. And ever since, he had continued to seek her out.

If Samantha was honest with herself, she liked it. She was terribly flattered to have this android's attention. Would she like more? Did she want to see how far this would go? That was the part she struggled with. Connor would want her to move on and find someone who would take care of her and make her happy. She would want the same for him. But to start a relationship with his double. It was too easy to fall for him. So easy it was scary. Like he wasn't a different person at all. That wasn't fair to the memory of her Connor, and it wasn't fair to this one. She felt she would be safer and kinder to all to keep the two of them as friends.

"I know you and Gavin don't like each other," Samantha told him. "But that's not my problem. I like you both. I want to be friends with you both."

"But...he's such an asshole," Connor insisted.

She coughed out a laugh. "You're not wrong. But still, the two of you are the only friends I have in this city right now. I'm not going to lose one of you to please the other. I'd really like to keep you both, but you will have to figure it out." She leaned over the high counter that separated them, their noses almost brushing. "It's just one day. You and I have our days we spend together, too. That doesn't change; Gavin or no Gavin."

Connor let out a visible huff of heated air like a sigh. His shoulders relaxed. "You are so good at saying things exactly how I need to hear them."

She smiled. "I've gotten very good at talking to RK800s."

* * *

.

Gavin had not exaggerated. His family was indeed loud. Samantha caved and allowed him to take her to his grandmother's house for the Fourth of July. As such, she learned that Gavin had four older sisters, all of which were raised by said grandmother. All sisters were married (one on her second husband) and all had—or at least it seemed to Samantha—a whole gaggle of children.

They were everywhere. A mob of screaming, laughing, sticky small people tearing around the house and the backyard. The sisters were loud, too. As were most of their husbands. Samantha was very much unused to so much noise and the claustrophobia of being surrounded by all the bodies. But everyone was also very nice and welcoming. Even though she couldn't remember a single person's name and had no idea which kids belonged to which sister, she put on a bright smile and let it all happen.

She also wasn't the only guest Gavin brought to the family get-together. Nines came, too. And it seemed the family already knew him. He was greeted by the adults while the children ruthlessly climbed all over him. The stoic android took it all with infinite patience. Though to Samantha, she thought she could see a bit of fading tolerance in the android. He reminded her of a cat being manhandled. He was hunkered down, braving the children. But if he had a tail, she was sure he would be flicking it in irritation.

Samantha liked Gavin's grandmother the most. She wasn't loud like the others. She didn't have to be. When she spoke, everyone stopped to listen. She was very warm and welcoming to Samantha, happy to feed anyone who came to eat at her table. Though, when everyone was helping to clean up after dinner, Samantha overheard her speaking to Gavin.

"She's too young for you," she heard his grandmother say in the other room. Samantha was near the bathroom and she paused to listen.

"It's not like that. She's my neighbor," Gavin's voice insisted. "I just invited her because she doesn't have any family in town."

"You need to find a good girl your own age and settle down. I want to see those grandbabies."

"Don't you have enough already?" Gavin shot back with slight aggravation.

Samantha grinned to herself and quit eavesdropping after that. Despite the noise and the sensory overload, it was interesting to sit in the midst of this family unit. She had never seen a group of people being a family before. What was it like to have grandparents and siblings, nieces and nephews? So many people who cared about you, who were there for you if you needed it. So much laughter and happiness.

Though Samantha thought maybe she still liked her quiet life more, she was happy for Gavin that he had all of this.

As evening set in, the family all piled out to the front driveway. Gavin brought out a lighter and a couple bags of various fireworks. The kids were handed sparklers as a few fireworks were lit. Samantha had not seen fireworks before. She watched with the children as the fountains spat out showers of hot color and crackled and screamed.

Then, someone found the kind that made a loud popping sound when you threw them to the ground.

POP.

Samantha jumped at the first one. They were so loud. According to the conversation, these were made to be far louder than the regular kind.

POP. POP. POP.

The kids were throwing them everywhere. No one seemed to notice how damn loud they were. Samantha fought the urge to cover her ears.

POP. POPPOPPOP. POP. POP.

Another firework was lit. It shot up into the sky, exploding and shooting gold fire in all directions.

POP. POPPOPPOP.

Samantha's heart beat against her rib cage. It sounded too much like gun fire. It was so fucking loud. Her arm ached where the bullet had left her scarred.

POPPOPPOP. POP. POP.

She could feel the blood seeping down her arm, smell the gun smoke. She could see Connor's body, jerking with every bullet that tore through his skull and chest. Her skin felt electrified, her eyes stinging. She had to get out of there.

* * *

.

After a few more fireworks, Gavin glanced around the group of people and couldn't find Samantha. He handed the lighter to his brother-in-law and stepped into the house to look for her. The youngest of his sisters was inside taking care of her newborn. She said Samantha hadn't come in.

For a moment, Gavin wondered if she had simply bailed on him and left. She didn't seem like the type to do that, but he also didn't know her well enough to be sure. Still, he continued his search and he stepped back outside. As he rounded the house, he found her.

She crouched in the dark, balanced on the balls of her feet, her hands pressed to her ears. Nines was there as well. He squatted before her, his LED flickering in the dark yellow to red, red to yellow. His hands hovered without touching; helpless, clueless.

He looked up when Gavin approached, slightly protective at first, but then relenting in the wake of his human partner. He moved out of the way when Gavin claimed the space for himself and crouched in front of her.

"Hey, Sam." He put his hands on her shoulders and felt her jolt from the touch.

She looked up. There were damp tear-tracks running down both cheeks.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

She opened her mouth, but was unable to explain.

"Nobody hurt you, did they?" Gavin pressed.

"N-no. It...the noise. I just..." She jumped again at more loud popping from the fireworks. He watched her try to steel herself. She rose to her feet and he rose with her. "I'm fine. I'm not hurt. I'll be okay."

Gavin watched her face, her watery eyes. "Do you want me to take you home?"

She broke down and immediately fought to get it back under control. "You don't have to go. I'll be okay. Just give me a minute."

She stubbornly wiped at her eyes and nose while he frowned.

"No, I'm going to take you home. Can you wait a minute? Let me get my keys and tell everyone I'm leaving. I'll be right back."

* * *

.

Gavin left no room for argument. He walked away before she could counter and Samantha was left alone in the dark. Then, there was movement beside her and she was remind that the RK900 was still there. He hovered in her space, but not engaging. Samantha wasn't sure what to say to him.

POP. POPPOP. POP. POPPOPPOP.

The kids must have found more of those impossibly loud snaps. Samantha tensed at the noise. Then, the RK900 was in front of her, his hands sealing her ears from the sound until it was just muffled noise. The physical touch was sudden, but Samantha settled after her initial surprise. Whatever he was made of, it blocked out the sharp pops and crackles quite well.

His presence also helped. His wide frame took up the space around her. It made her feel contained and safe. A glance up and she found those ice blue eyes watching her. The first time she met him, she found the RK900's eyes to be soulless. That wasn't the case. Even if it was claimed that Nines was not deviant, there was something there. His gaze was intense, concerned. This android—there was something to him, even if he wasn't exactly like the deviants.

Samantha put her hands on his, keeping them there on her ears. He seemed to stiffen when she chose to touch him. But when she didn't move her hands and didn't pull him away, his shoulders relaxed before her eyes.

Then, from the back of the house, all fireworks suddenly stopped. The night was filled with voices now; raised and arguing. Several female voices chimed in at once while Gavin's seemed to be at the receiving end of them all.

Samantha's hands slid down to Nine's wrists to pull his hands from her ears. Even then, she could only catch every other word. It seemed his grandmother and sisters were all loudly protesting his decision to leave early. Gavin's voice shot right back, just as loud and angry. Especially when the accusations were pointed at Samantha. She specifically heard the phrases "that girl" and "flavor of the week", and suddenly wished she had never agreed to come. Not because of what was being said about her, but because it was her fault that there was now an argument between Gavin and his family. She just wanted to disappear.

A few more minutes of heated back and forth and Gavin stalked around the side of the house toward them. He had a deep frown on his face, keys jangling in his hand. He approached and stopped mere feet from Samantha and Nines, looking them over. The android had stepped even closer into her space now, their chests nearly brushing.

"Uh, what are you guys doing?" Gavin asked, looking them both over. His gaze landed squarely on his partner, who then dropped his hands and took a step back.

"I can just go, Gavin," Samantha said. "You don't have to leave. I'll take an Uber home."

He brushed past her. "No. Get in the car."

She followed obediently behind, Nines at her back. They all climbed into the car and Gavin started the engine.

"I'm just dropping you off. I guess my cousins are going to be over soon, so I'm coming back."

Before he could pull into the street, Samantha broke. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

She quickly wiped a tear when he glanced her way. He sighed loudly.

"Look. It's fine." The irritation was clear in his voice, despite his words. "My family likes to blow things out of proportion. It's not a big deal. So don't cry, okay?"

Samantha fought to calm herself once more. She had visited enough of her emotional baggage on Gavin. Clearly, he had had enough of it as well. She remind silent and calm for the rest of the drive.

When they arrived at the apartment, Samantha reached for the door handle.

"Hey," Gavin said, causing her to pause. "Can you take Nines with you? I think he'd rather go somewhere quiet than back to that madhouse."

Samantha glanced to the backseat. The RK900's expression was unreadable. As usual, he looked indifferent to everything happening around him. Yet, as soon as it was suggested, the android was already stepping out of the car before Samantha could answer.

"I can come get him when I get back home."

"Depends on how late that is," Samantha replied as she opened the car door.

"Look, he's just a robot. You can have him stand in a corner and go into power-save mode and he'll be fine until morning. You don't have to treat him like he's deviant. He's not."

Samantha didn't know the RK900 well enough to argue whether that statement was true or not. But both Gavin's tone and the idea seemed callous. She warred with herself over whether she wanted to get into it with him, or not act like an ungrateful brat and thank him for the ride. All she managed was a tight smile before closing the door. He was already driving off as she headed for the stairs.

* * *

.

"I'm afraid I don't have much to do here," Samantha said as they walked into her apartment. "I'm really boring. I have lots of books but I only bought a TV a few days ago. No cable or streaming services."

The RK900 walked in and pointedly looked down at the TV that was still in an unopened box on the floor.

"I don't own a TV stand yet," Samantha said. "It felt weird to pull it out and just put it on the floor."

Nines looked back up at her, but didn't say anything. Samantha felt self-conscious under his gaze. Was this what life with non-deviated androids was like? She thought they were more interactive than that. Connor was nothing like this when the Hall Foundation first brought him home.

"Okay, well...I'm going to wash my hair. It needs it." When the RK900 said nothing, she added, "Feel free to make yourself at home." When she still received no verbal response, she decided to leave the android to his own devices.

Once in the shower, Samantha's thoughts wandered to the her reaction that night. She had always suffered nightmares from past traumatic events. This was the first time she had ever experienced a waking flashback. She had never even considered this was a possibility her first time seeing fireworks. Even now, she could smell the gun smoke and her heart picked up. It was disappointing to know she was more broken than she thought.

Once out and dressing for bed, Samantha was reminded there was still an android in her living room. What was she supposed to do with him for the night? She was somewhat tempted to invite him to go back to the station. That was where he belonged, wasn't it? But then she was heartlessly treating him like a thing. Even if technically he was, being a non-deviant. Imagining someone doing that to Connor—either of them—even before their deviancy broke her heart. It would be awkward, but she would try to be a good hostess.

When she returned to her living room, her damp hair pulled up in a clip, she found her TV had been set up. Though it was still on the floor, the DVD player was hooked up as well and ready to go. The box was set neatly aside in the corner.

"Oh. Thanks for doing that. Do you want to watch a movie then?"

The RK900 said nothing. Samantha looked at him more pointedly, clearly waiting for an answer.

"I have no opinion on this," he replied.

Now, that was more like Connor when he first came to the Hall Foundation.

Samantha approached him, appraising the taller, broader android. His eyes always caught her attention. They were gorgeous. Why give an android designed for non-deviance such eyes? This was also the first opportunity to have one-on-one time with this android that, Samantha had to admit, she had been very curious about since the beginning.

"Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"I have no opinion on—"

"Right, right," she interrupted. "So, if you have no opinion, what about your face?"

He just stared at her, his blue LED swirling a little faster.

"You don't like it when someone touches your face. That's an opinion."

She watched as the RK900 furrowed his brows.

"Why don't you like it?" she pressed.

"I...prefer not to be touched."

"I know. Why?"

The android's brows furrowed deeper, his LED skipping to yellow.

"Does it hurt when someone touches you?" Samantha asked.

"No. Androids do not feel pain."

"But you do find it unpleasant."

"I find it to be different than touch anywhere else on my person."

Samantha paused. "Different how?"

"The touch sensory system on my face is more sensitive than the rest of my body."

"Is that normal for androids?"

"Yes. The face and head must be protected from damage, so the android must be made aware of physical contact of any kind."

That was interesting. Samantha wondered if the extra sensory was why RK800's liked having their faces touched. Her Connor had grown to enjoy having his sensory levels increased when she touched him. For the RK900, being touched on places with a higher sensitivity setting seemed to be unpleasant.

"Can you explain why you don't like it?"

The android raised his hand and palmed her whole face. "Do you like it?"

"Not like that I don't," Samantha responded. She pulled away from his grasp. "What about..." She raised a finger to touch his cheek. Nines leaned back from it. No matter how she moved it, he always ducked out of the way. She stopped accosting him and watched the android thoughtfully.

She put her hands on his shoulders. "You don't mind this touch, right?"

"This is fine," Nines agreed.

"Can you come down a little?" She pulled on his shoulders. The android stooped until they were about the same height. Samantha leaned in and pressed her forehead to his. "What about this?"

The android froze. He blinked, his LED rolling. Then, she felt him subtly relax.

"This is not...unacceptable..."

Samantha made a noise of amusement. "I'm glad you think so. Boop!"

She suddenly booped the android's nose with a finger and he jerked away, frowning again. She laughed at his put-out expression. "It wasn't so bad, was it?"

The RK900 seemed to be filing the new experiences away, but gave no comment.

"So, what do you want to do?" Samantha then asked. "I will have to eventually go to bed. You can stay as long as you want, but if you would rather leave, that's okay, too."

Nines looked at the door, then back at her. "Detective Reed requested I stay with you. Considering your emotional breakdown earlier, I would assume the purpose of his request is so that you are not alone."

Samantha had to look away for a moment. Away from those intense, gorgeous eyes. "I'm fine. I've gotten used to being on my own. You don't have to stay for my benefit."

The RK900 continued to watch her, his blue LED flickering in thought. Then he sat himself on her couch.

"I'm not your responsibility," she floundered.

"I would...prefer to stay," came the pragmatic response.

She let out a long breath. "Alright. I'm going to put on a movie, then."

All the RK900 did was stay where he was seated. Samantha put on the rebooted Planet of the Apes movie—a trilogy she purchased a week ago since she had been meaning to see them. Nines remained a passive fixture as she sat herself next to him on the couch.

As the movie played, they sat companionably in silence. But her emotional breakdown earlier that evening had exhausted Samantha more than she thought. She eventually nodded off, slumping over until her head rested lightly against the RK900's shoulder.

The android stiffened slightly at the contact and looked over. He watched the top of her head; how her chest slowly rose and fell with each breath. His LED flickered blue for a moment, then he returned his gaze to the movie.

* * *

.

For the holiday, Hank invited Connor to a barbecue at the house of one of his old cop buddies. Connor had met this group of friends before. They had all worked the force for much of their adult lives. Most of them were either divorced or widowers. One had had never been married. To Connor, he also seemed like the happiest one of the group.

Apparently, Hank had drifted away from them after his son died. More than once, one of the old cops mentioned to Connor that he had been good for Hank, that he was getting his verve for life back. And that they had missed seeing their friend. It made Connor happy to hear this. And he liked being in the company of Hank's friends. When they weren't bitching about ex-wives or girlfriends, they would happily tell Connor as many old cop stories as he would listen to.

They also thought now would be a great time to teach Connor one of the staples of manhood: cooking meat on an outdoor grill. He was thrilled to learn. Anything human that they were willing to teach them he was eager to master. It didn't take long for Connor to get the hang of it. As an android, he quickly worked out the temperature of the meat vs cooking time to get the burgers cooked just right.

Though he was a machine, however, Connor was also a cognizant being. This allowed for mistakes. Especially when other things began to weigh on his mind as his thoughts traveled elsewhere.

"Connor, you're overcooking them," Hank said, making the android jump.

He quickly rescued the well-done burgers and set them on a plate, ready for consumption.

"Sorry, Hank."

"You spacing out on us, kid?" Riggs called with a laugh. He was retired and divorced, but always the first one with a joke.

"He's been daydreaming over this girl that works at the precinct," Hank said as he grabbed himself another beer, reclining in the nearest lawn chair.

"Hank!" Connor protested. If he were human, his cheeks would have been hot with embarrassment. Another new emotion for him.

"Is that true?" Dixon asked. He had lost his wife to cancer earlier that year. He was the one Connor had met the most as he and Hank bonded over their lost loved ones. Hank helped Dixon get through the worst of it. "I had no idea that androids could even—" He cut himself off, looking to Hank as he wondered if he had said something offensive.

Hank shrugged openly at his friend. He was learning this himself as he watched Connor slowly work through his struggle with this particular relationship.

"Is she pretty?" Dixon then asked with friendly curiosity.

"Very pretty," Connor confirmed as he self-consciously watched the burgers.

"And she's an android, too?" Riggs asked, now curious as well.

Hank watched Connor, but he was refusing to answer.

"She's human," Hank said. "Very sweet girl, though she..." He paused picking his words carefully. "She has some emotional baggage. That, plus she's attending a cookout with one of my detectives."

A few of the guys jeered.

"It's not Reed, is it?" Simmons called from the back. He was the only one of them still married. And often insisted his was the most miserable of them all.

Hank's smirk and the lack of response answered it perfectly.

"Damn, that kid doesn't waste any time. Is there any female at the precinct he hasn't dated?"

Connor's head shot up, alarmed at that information.

"He doesn't date anyone for long," Riggs said. "He took my daughter out a couple times. She liked him, but any girl who's been with him more than a few times knows he's not a keeper. He's just looking to have fun."

"It's got to be a real special girl that will get Reed to settle down," Dixon said, ever the romantic at heart.

"It's not this one," Hank said pointedly in Connor's direction. "They talk a lot, but he's more interested in irritating her than dating." As he spoke, his phone rang. He stood as he dug it out of his pocket and wandered off to the side of the house to take the call.

"So what does this girl think about you, Connor?" Simmons asked. "She like you?"

"We're friends," Connor confirmed.

"Oh, no, Connor. You don't want to be in the friend zone."

"There is nothing wrong with being friends first," Dixon said. "Rita was my best friend, always has been. That's how relationships last. You can't just be lovers, you also have to be friends."

Simmons made a dismissive sound.

"You asked her out?" Riggs said.

"No," Connor replied. "But she asked me out."

"Really."

"Yes."

They were all leaning in now, fully interested.

"Have you told her how you feel about her?" Dixon asked.

"No. I am...still trying to figure it out myself. This is very new to me."

"I bet," Riggs snorted.

"You should talk to her about it."

Connor furrowed his brows as his LED rolled into the yellow. "I am not sure how to approach this subject. When would be a good time?"

"Hell, do it now."

"Right now she is at a social gathering."

"No better time. You are not doing yourself any favors by keeping it all inside. Trust me, women love it when you go out of your way to express your feelings. Any place, anytime is a good time to tell your girl how you feel about her."

Connor's mouth moved as his processor tried to come up with a response. Did that mean he should leave? Find Samantha's location right now and talk to her?

"Connor," Hank called as he came back around. "Time to get to work."

"Another of those RA9 kills?" Jensen spoke up. As the eternal bachelor, he hadn't been much interested in the conversation. But as a former homicide detective himself, he had been interested in the new string of murders.

"No body, but there was an incident tonight," Hank said as he quickly fixed himself a burger. "Might be a lead. We're going to check it out. Might be back later if it doesn't pan out."

"Tell me what you find!" Jensen called after them as they left.

As the two drove to the address given, Connor said, "Lieutenant, I thought Detective Reed was taking point. Why did we get the call?"

"Hoping to interrupt his evening?" Hank teased as he drove with one hand and held his burger in the other. When Connor only frowned he said, "I told Reed I'd take any calls on the case so he could spend the day with his family."

"That was very thoughtful of you, Hank."

The human shrugged. "A man's gotta make time for family while he's still got it."

* * *

.

When they arrived at the scene, a section of the small block was cordoned off by only two police cars, lights flashing. Twilight has set upon Detroit. The city fireworks display would begin within the hour.

As Hank arrived, a nervous young rookie approached them. Hank had seen him at the precinct multiple times. Gordon was his last name.

"Hey, Lieutenant, we're glad you could come," he greeted, though he was looking at Connor. "Honestly, we're not sure what to do with these two."

"Start by telling me what you know," Hank replied, shoving the last of his burger into his mouth.

"Our Vic was out taking a walk when he was attacked by androids. We think they were trying to knock him unconscious and take him to another location. He had a nasty blow to the head. He's currently on route to the nearest hospital. The medics said he's going to be okay."

"Did anyone get a good look at the androids?" Hank asked.

"There were a few witnesses that noticed when the struggle began. Our guy was with a female companion. The androids ignored her when they attacked and she helped him fight them off until others heard the screams."

"Lucky for him," Hank said.

Gordon sucked in a breath. "Only, this woman, she's actually an android. So we're not sure what's going on. If there was an actual human with him and the androids got her. Did this one get left behind? Or was she actually...I mean, androids are like people now, right? Can androids and humans be friends?"

Hank glanced back at Connor who had remained quiet and stayed a step or two behind him. "Human or android, we treat them the same. If they're suspicious, we question them. If they're looking like the perpetrator, we arrest them. And if they're innocent, we let them go. Where's this android now?"

"In the car," Officer Gordon said, nodding to the squad car a few yards away.

"Connor, go talk to her," Hank said. "I'm going to see what else I can find out."

"Will do, Hank." Connor turned toward the car. The shadow of a form could be seen in the back seat. The head turned when he approached and Connor cautiously opened the back passenger door where the android was being held in handcuffs.

She was a KL900. Connor had only ever met one other of these models. Her name had been Lucy and he had met her shortly before the Jericho freighter sank. She was badly damaged, but hauntingly intuitive and kind. His very brief interaction with her remained with him still.

_You're lost. You're looking for something. You are looking...for yourself._

Connor hadn't understood her then. It was far after all the craziness of the revolution was over when he realized that the struggle of looking for one's self was a common journey for all those cognizant and alive. To question one's existence and one's purpose used to be a human question. But it had become an android question, too.

"Hello," he said to the KL900. "My name is Connor. I work with the Detroit Police Department. What's your name?"

"My name is Darcia. You...you're an android," she marveled, watching his LED. Hers has been removed.

"Yes. I would like to help you if you'll let me. Will you talk to me about what happened tonight?"

She seemed hesitant, but then looked at him, timid but hopeful. "I was with Mr. Valdez. We are...friends. We were walked to the gas station, talking about going to see the fireworks later. As we walked back to our apartment, this group of androids rushed us."

"How many were there?" Connor asked.

"At least four. Possibly more. It happened very fast. They tried to separate us. They immediately started to attack Ray—Mr. Valdez. One of the androids pulled me away. She said I was free now. I was no one's property. I tried to explain to her that it wasn't like that. Nobody owned me. Ray yelled at me to run. But I kept thinking about those other humans; the way were killed by androids. I wasn't going to leave him. I started screaming and fighting back. Other people heard us and came to help. The androids who attacked us ran away."

"Would you allow me to access a copy of your memory file during this incident? This could help us catch the androids who are doing this."

"Yes, I could do that." She paused. "If I do, then can I go to see Ray? They wouldn't let me go with him. They kept us separated. No one will tell me if he's alright."

Connor gave her a kind smile. "You live with Mr. Valdez, don't you, Darcia?" She looked surprised and he continued. "You said you were walking back to 'our' apartment. He is your boyfriend, isn't he?"

Darcia looked horrified at the accusation. "Please don't say anything. Most of our neighbors don't know."

Connor reached over and unlocked the handcuffs. "You have done nothing wrong. You're free to go."

* * *

.

Hank had been interviewing those who came to the aid of the victim. All stories were pretty much the same: a couple was walking down the street when a group of people—later discovered to be androids—attacked them. The female had screamed for help and that was when a few good Samaritans ran to their aid.

When he turned, he saw Connor approach with a woman.

"Hold on!" Officer Gordan called. "You can't let that android out!"

"She's innocent," Connor said. "The victim was her friend. She was trying to help him when they were attacked."

The rookie had a hand on his gun. "We don't know that she was a part of this. She's an android, too."

"She has given me a copy of the video and audio she recorded during the assault. It proves her innocent of having any part in the incident, other than trying to protect her friend."

Gordon's hand fell from his gun, clearly surprised that this was something androids could do.

Connor looked to his superior. "Lieutenant, could we get an officer to take Darcia to the hospital? She would like to see how Mr. Valdez is doing."

Gordon looked like he wanted to protest, but Hank was already ordering the rookie to find somebody or take Darcia himself.

"Yes, sir," Gordon said, a little humbled.

Hank turned his attention back to Connor, but his partner's attention had suddenly snapped toward the crowd of rubberneckers in the distance.

"Connor," Hank called as the android walked off with purpose.

Connor didn't hear. His attention was caught on the crowd. Most particularly, how the glowing LED of one of the onlookers flickered in the darkness. Most deviant androids had removed their LEDs by now. The android, an LM100, was more focused on the uniformed police, but began to notice as Connor approached. He saw the android tense, but try not to react. Not until Connor was only a few feet away from him.

"You, LM100," Connor called. "I have a few questions for—"

The android turned and took off like a shot. Connor immediately ran after him, cutting through the holographic police tape, then trying to push his way through the crowd. By then, the android already had a head start and it was plenty dark outside.

The LM100 dashed around a street corner in the distance. By the time Connor made it around, there were too many cars and pedestrians to locate his target. Thirium pump picking up, Connor desperately scanned the area. There! An android signature moving fast on the other side of the street. It disappeared down an alley. Connor was nearly hit by a taxi as he dashed through the middle of the street.

Ahead, the android hopped a chain-link fence and Connor was hot on his tail. He chased his way through a parking lot, then climbed a dumpster to latch onto the very rickety fire escape of a condemned building. Connor could feel the vibrations of the android climbing above him. Brick debris and rust snowed down on him as the entire thing felt ready to fall apart. But his mind wasn't on the danger; only catching the best lead to these murders they had come across. He absolutely could not let this android get away.

As he nearly made it to the roof, he saw the android grab the iron bars that held up the net work of ladders, and rip it from the wall. That was all it took for the piece Connor held to fall backwards. He and a crumbling collection of rusted metal swung over the narrow alley, the wall of the next building coming up fast. Connor's processor was not quick enough to react. Still three stories above ground, Connor collided with the opposite concrete wall. He felt his head hit with full force and then everything went black.


	6. Chapter 6: How to Date an Android

**.**

**Stay with Me**

**Chapter Six: How to Date an Android**

At first, there was warmth and there was touch. There was the skip of his thirium pump as he identified gliding hands with long, delicate fingers. They ran up his exposed chest, lighting up all his sensors in a way that made him involuntarily suck in air. Pleasure flickered through his system like an electric current. He had never been touched this way before; never experienced sensation like this.

Then came the lips: supple, soft. Kissing the dip of his clavicle. Wet tongue running up the column of his neck. He saw her eyes, hooded and gray-green. Like the sky before a storm. He saw the unusual reddish-pink color of her hair—fine and weightless—draped around bare shoulders. His fingers ached to touch. But his body had surrendered to the weight of the nude female on top of him.

She stretched herself over him, their skin brushing. Her curves molding to the flat planes of his form. He couldn't move her from him; didn't want to. He wanted her touch everywhere; wanted to chase this growing sensation in his systems that he couldn't identify. It felt too good. How she moved on top of him, rhythmic like the ebb and flow of water. In his ear she gave out shuttered gasps and cries.

"Connor," she whimpered. "Yes, Connor. Connor. _Connor!_"

* * *

.

Connor sat bolt upright, electrical pleasure still shocking his system. He was wide-eyed and startled, glancing wildly at his surroundings.

"Connor!"

He saw Hank standing next to him. When the lieutenant reached out, Connor jerked back. All his tactile functions were somehow cranked up far higher than he was used to. He didn't want anyone to touch him.

He found he was sitting on a repair table back in the sub-basement of the precinct. The android tech was there as well, standing too close. Connor tried to get off the table and away from both humans. The cables plugged into the back of his head and neck tugged him back and he quickly pulled them out before scrambling away, putting the table between himself and the two humans.

"You okay, kid?" Hank asked softly. Connor was like a startled wild animal. He had never seen the android look so undone before. "Do you remember what happened?"

Connor shoved his hands into his hair, gripping it. He couldn't think about anything but trying to get his systems back to normal. All sensory input was so _loud_; too much feedback coming from no real source.

"Give him a second," the tech said, putting an arm out to Hank. "His relays were firing all over the place when he was rebooting. Maybe he can put it all back together himself."

Hank remained where he was, but refused to stop reaching out to his partner. "Connor, listen to me. You're okay. You fell off a building and took a pretty bumpy road on the way down."

Connor, who had been staring hard into the distance, finally turned his gaze toward Hank. "I was chasing a suspect," he recalled. His hands fell from his hair and his shoulders relaxed.

"Right," Hank said. "When I found you, you were completely switched off. I thought you were dead. Scared the hell out of me."

Connor's thirium pump begin to slow. He checked his damage report. "No damage to my CPU or files. The impact was such a shock to my system, it sent me into automatic shutdown. But it appears I am fine."

Hank looked pointedly at him. "Are you?"

Connor relaxed further, acting more like his usual self. "Yes. I...I will be okay." He looked to the tech. "Do I have approval to go?"

The tech gave a helpless gesture. "I guess. I mean, he looks fine now. If any problems show up, just come on back."

Connor didn't wait for anything else as he started for the elevator. Hank caught up in time to join him..

When the doors closed, Hank asked, "You sure you're okay? You're being real fidgety."

Connor paused, then found he couldn't stand to be still. He continued to scratch at random places on his chest and neck, chasing phantom itches.

"My textile sensors were turned up too high when I was rebooting. The feedback has been over-stimulating my body. It will take a moment, but I should be able to get it back to normal."

The elevator let them off at the ground level.

"I hope so," Hank said as they stepped out. "You're acting like a meth head going through withdrawal."

Connor ignored that statement as he continued to fidget. "Could I get a ride, Hank? I need to see Samantha."

"Not looking like that. How about you get yourself together first, and then will talk about rides."

Connor frowned at him, and then turned directly into the bathroom. Upon seeing himself in the mirror, he understood what Hank was talking about. He did look like a deranged drug addict. He was filthy from his fall, his clothes messed and torn. His hair stuck out in all directions by his own hands.

As he tried to put himself back together, Hank stepped into the bathroom. When Connor continued to ignore him as he fixed his hair, Hank spoke.

"You want to tell me what's going on? You were in the middle of chasing down a suspect to a very important case, and now all you want to do is go see this girl? What happened? I've never seen you react like you did down there."

Connor remained facing the mirror. His gaze wandered from his own reflection to Hank's. "I'm not sure what happened. I was offline, but I was still...thinking, feeling. And I was with Samantha. But I know it wasn't real and it wasn't a memory. But we were there together, even though I was offline." He turned and looked at his partner. "Does that make sense, Hank?"

"You mean you were dreaming?" Hank ventured.

Connor thought about it. He didn't quite understand what dreams were, but they seemed to best define his experience. "Perhaps. It was something like that."  
"What happened in this dream? From your reaction, I'd guess you had a nightmare."

"No, it wasn't bad at all. It was...I could feel her touching me as if she was really there. I could feel our bodies pressed together, I could hear her voice in my ear. It felt good. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. It was overwhelming."

"Wait a minute," Hank said. He thought back to Connor's extreme reaction. "Are you saying you had a wet dream about Samantha Hall and that's why you freaked out?"

Connor had to go online to learn the meaning of that phrase. He frowned as he researched it. "I don't know but..."

"But now you're gung-ho about seeing this girl right away," Hank accused. "Can't wait to get your rocks off for real."  
Connor rubbed his face in frustration. It wasn't sexual gratification that drove him. He didn't have those kinds of urges. He knew the 'dream' he had was actually more of the Other Connor's memories bleeding into his own, contaminating his data to the point where sometimes he couldn't tell if the memory happened to him or his counterpart. The Other Connor understood physical intimacy and pleasure. Perhaps even a sexual climax. Connor did not. They were sensations without context, and they were confusing and frustrating. But none of it changed the urgent need to see Samantha still burning in his chest.

"Look, Hank, I really don't know what's going on with me. But every time something comes up with this case, every time someone gets hurt, all I can think about is Samantha. I have this need to be with her, to see with my own eyes that she's okay. The first time I ever saw her she was covered in blood. If anyone ever hurt her again, I just—" He stopped himself as is LED flickered into the red. He vented some air to calm himself. "I need to see her. If you don't want to take me, Hank, that's fine by me."

"No, kid," Hank said with understanding. "I'll take you."

* * *

.

He texted her beforehand, asking where she was. He knew she would be with Gavin that night, and he would probably have to find her at a stranger's house. Maybe he would even cause a scene. Connor didn't give a damn about that. Though he was pleasantly surprised to receive a responding text that Samantha was at home. Good. He preferred that.

Samantha answered when he knocked. A movie played on a new TV in the background.

"Hey Connor," she greeted with a smile. It instantly dissolved. "You okay? You look like you've had quite a night."

Connor didn't care how he looked. All he cared about was that Samantha was finally in his presence and she seemed whole and unhurt. "There was an incident, but—" He paused when he noticed someone sitting on her couch. The back of the head was male. It wasn't Gavin's. "I'm sorry. I came when you had company."

Samantha waved it off. "That's Nines. Pay him no mind."

"Why is he here?"

"It's a bit of a story." She yawned. "Short version: he set up my TV for me so I've been snoozing and watching movies with him."

Connor continued to glare at the other android. Samantha took his wrist to catch his attention.

"Please come in?" she asked, tugging at him.

Connor did so, but was not happy. Why were there always other males at Samantha's place? Why was it so difficult to get time alone with her?

"Maybe I should come another time. I did not mean to interrupt your plans."

"Oh, this was not planned," Samantha said with humor. "And he doesn't even know you're here. He's very engrossed in that movie. Watch." She turned her head toward the RK900. "Nines. Nines. Hey, Nines."

Absolutely no response.

"He is enamored." She laughed. "Come on, we can talk in my room."

Connor had been in her bedroom before, though it seemed an odd place to have a conversation. But he did like that Samantha closed the door.

"I'm really glad you're here," she then said, which Connor liked even more. She sat herself on the bed, one leg tucked under her.

"I wanted to see you," Connor told her frankly. "I've wanted to be with you all day. But even more after..." He looked down at his soiled, torn clothes. "I have never experienced this before. I'm not even sure how to explain myself. I always want to see you, talk to you more. But I don't know the proper societal protocols. And it makes me feel helpless and frustrated." He paused and then added, "Especially when I see you talking to Detective Reed. I think I am jealous of him."

She snorted out a laugh. "What for?"

"He's with you all the time. He sees you and talks to you far more often than I do."

"Yeah, but he's an ass. You're a really good person."

He furrowed his brows. "That doesn't make it better."

Samantha pulled up both legs on the bed, amused at the conversation. "What would make it better? I'm terribly flattered about this, by the way."

Connor didn't share her good humor as he told her seriously, "I want to date you."

Her grin fell. "Connor, if you want to spend more time together, we can do that. I enjoy hanging out with you."

"It's not just that." He moved forward, looming over her. His voice lowered to a husky sound. "I want to be near you, touching you. I want to feel you against me. I want to protect you; make you feel safe. I want you to make use of me; to be whatever you need."

Samantha stood, making Connor move back as she reclaimed her space. She studied his face and then spoke.

"Are you saying you want us to have a romantic relationship?"

"I...think so. Though I have never had one. I've never been in love. I'm not sure if I can, but I want to be whatever I can with you." As he spoke, his eyes were on the open neck of her top, his fingers mere centimeters from touching her clavicle.

"Connor," she said to get his eyes to meet hers. "What you're asking—I don't know if I could give you fully what you want. I do like you a lot. I might even have a bit of a crush on you, but Connor's memory is always going to be between us. You remind me of him, you make me think of him. Sometimes I see you as only you, and other times, I can't help but want to use you to fill that empty hole where he used to be. That's not fair to you. You deserve better."

He tentatively took her hands; initiating touch. He rubbed the knuckles of her fingers with his thumbs. "I'm okay with that. I want you to continue to love him. I don't want to take that away from you. I just want to be here with you now, in whatever way you would have me."

Samantha raised her brows in response, wondering if he understood all the ways she could take that statement. Because RK800's were so good at saying things like that. It made her smile a little. She missed having one in her life.

She looked down at his hands touching hers. "Tonight, when we were doing fireworks, I just...broke down. I knew I was safe, but I was back in that building, guns firing all around me. I didn't know I could fall apart so fast and I felt so stupid. I felt alone. Right then, what I wanted more than anything else was for you to be there. I know you would have understood, because you were there when I needed you. When Connor needed you."

He cupped her face, like she had done with him. "I would like to be there for you when you need me."

She closed her eyes, pressed her hands to his. "I would like to be there for you, too. I like seeing you happy."

"This makes me very happy," Connor whispered back.

She smiled at him and he leaned in, putting his arms around her. She seemed surprised at first, but melted into him. Connor pulled her in tighter. He had been wanting to do this for so long; just hold her in his arms like this. Then her slim arms slid under his jacket. Her palms smoothed over his back and he shivered, remembering his dream. It was so real and so foreign. He still had no idea how to react to it. Maybe Samantha could help him.

* * *

.

When Connor leaned in, she thought he was going to kiss her. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want him to. But Connor merely pulled her in for an embrace and she was hardly complaining. A good hug was what she really needed that night. She slid her hands under his jacket, wanting to be closer. She still touched his shirt instead of his skin, but she felt him shiver. She liked that.

She then pulled away as a smell hit her. "Is that you? What's that stank?"

"I couldn't tell you," he replied. "I have no sense of smell. But I possibly landed in some garbage when I fell earlier."

"If you want to stay tonight, you're going to have to shower. You are not getting into bed with that stench."

"I would very much like to stay tonight," he said, looking pleased.

Samantha loved being the cause of his smile. He wasn't the one who was her soulmate. The one who had a piece of her heart that could never be taken by another. But Connor from Detroit was incredibly sweet and endearing. She did have a crush on him and she very much wanted him in her life if it pleased him to be so.

"Then a shower it is," she announced as she motioned to the bathroom. "I can wash your clothes for you, too."

Connor looked at the bathroom, then back at her. "Will you shower with me?"

She barked out a laugh at the very forward request. Minutes into the decision to date—not even exclusively—and he was already wanting to get naked together. "You're serious?"

"I do not enjoy showers. I thought perhaps with you it wouldn't be so bad."

Samantha scrutinized him for a moment. She was suddenly hit with the possibility that this android had no physical interest in her. He had not gone for the kiss and he had never tried to put his hands on her in an intimate way, not even when they were snuggling in bed the night after Belle Island. Connor clearly liked physical touch. But sexual touch was possibly something he was neither interested in nor had he even considered.

Dating without a sexual side to the relationship. Interesting. It was just dating after all. Samantha decided she was curious to see how things with progress with this Connor, who had never been in any sort of romantic relationship before.

"I think I would be okay with that," she decided with intrigue. "But a short one. I already showered tonight."

She led the way to the adjacent bathroom and turned on the shower. Next, she told Connor to undress with a bit of a smile. Since it was official they were dating, she figured she was now allowed to watch him remove his clothes.

He was unaware he was her own private show as he somberly removed his jacket and then loosened his tie. He unbuttoned his shirt as if he were stripping at an android death camp.

"You really don't like being undressed, do you?" Samantha asked with amusement.

"The only time I was ever without clothing was in the factory, under inspection of Cyberlife techs before they sent me out. When I received my clothes, I realize now it made me feel more like a person and less like a product. Without clothing, I feel like my self identity is taken away."

Samantha found that quite interesting. Her Connor never had such a problem. He had been absolutely indifferent about being dressed or not. In fact, one of her favorite memories was still that time in the kitchen when he had handed her his clothes and told her he could protect her just as efficiently in the nude.

In truth, the more Samantha learned about the Connor from Detroit, the more she realized that the two Connors were merely the same model, but not the same person. Even having shared a few memories did not make them identical in personality.

"With or without clothes, you're still you, Connor. They don't change you." Her eyes kept drifting to the shirt now three buttons loose. He was absolutely gorgeous with the open neckline and her fingers itched to finish the job. Undressing a man was one of her favorite things.

Connor looked at himself in the mirror, still hesitant.

"I'll undress with you," Samantha insisted. "You can see we're both exactly who we are just fine in the nude." She promptly removed her shirt and tossed it with alacrity to the floor.

Encouraged, Connor continued to unbutton his and then shrug it off. He held it in his arms as if intent to fold it, but Samantha insistently pointed to the floor. With a smile, Connor dropped it with hers. With light spirits, the two set about removing the rest of their clothing and leaving them in piles.

Samantha was about to slip out of her panties when she saw Connor step out of his Cyberlife briefs. And there was more to his body in that area than she expected. She froze, no longer interested in getting naked. Her face felt hot as she fought the urge to physically back away from him.

"Samantha?" Connor wondered when he noticed her reaction.

She was trying not to look, but he realized what had her attention.

"I was created later in the Connor project. Cyberlife was always tweaking their prototypes; adding new things, taking out others. My body has different modifications than his did."

Samantha tore her gaze away from the male genitalia that completely caught her off guard. At the same time, she was both not keen about getting in the shower with an anatomically correct android, and also realized her reaction was very immature.

Connor looked down at himself, then back at her. "It doesn't do anything."

She was still overtly trying not to look at it. "What do you mean?"

"They installed the hardware, but I lack the corresponding software."

Samantha felt her face grow warm again as emotion bubbled in her chest. "Are you saying you have a penis, but no penis program?"

He gave her a crooked smile. "That's what I'm saying."

She turned away with a snort and then started laughing.

"Samantha?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know why that's so funny to me," she said between giggles. "I'm being such an ass. Just give me a second."

She tried to get herself under control when Connor placed a hand on her shoulder. As she turned to him, her mind registered that he looked concerned and self-conscious, but she had already stumbled into him, laughing into his neck with her hands on his shoulders. She felt more than heard him began to laugh with her.

"I'm assuming this is not a problem," he chuckled.

She leaned in tighter, their bare chests against one another, touching skin to skin. "Connor, you are just fine the way you are. Don't let anyone tell you different. You are perfect."

He was still in a humorous mood himself when he hugged her around the shoulders and said "Thank you."

And that was it for Samantha. She began to crush on him hard. If they could talk and laugh about this, they could talk about anything. It was as if they had been friends for a lifetime. She felt absolutely comfortable in his presence. Even with a useless, dangling attachment between them.

They both entered the shower in the nude and Samantha got to work changing Connor's mind about getting himself clean the way the humans did. She scrubbed him thoroughly with a soapy cloth and friendly efficiency. They talked and laughed as she lathered his back and chest, then made him duck forward so she could wash his hair. If Connor wanted to wash anything below the waist, however, Samantha left that up to him.

When they stepped out, Samantha dressed in panties and a light shirt—her usual attire for summer nights. Connor stepped back into his briefs, but the rest of his clothes were dirty and stank. They went into the wash. Samantha entertained the idea of digging up the few remnants of her Connor's clothes she still had. But watching that android walk around without clothes was a tempting guilty pleasure. Maybe she'd give it a few more minutes before letting him know that wearing a shirt was an option.

She sat on the bed, brushing her hair, still damp from the shower she had previous, as she watched Connor wander around the room. It was like watching a cat inspect its new environment. He looked through the various jewelry she had on her dresser and then at the clothes in her closet. He touched each garment with curiosity, feeling the texture.

Then he turned and watched her. "May I brush your hair?"

God, her heart skipped a beat. She was such a sucker for anyone who wanted to touch her hair. Did he know he was being everything she ever wanted? No, chill Samantha. She was just lonely. She missed having a soft, warm presence that made her feel safe. Connor probably wouldn't notice either way, but she didn't want to seem too desperate. Even though he was the one who showed up at her door.

She handed him the brush, ducking away from his gaze as he sat behind her. He brushed her hair with purpose, unlike her Connor who merely mimicked the motions. His fingers gathered her hair from her neck, organized it. He let the bristles scrape her scalp as he brushed it all together in his hand.

"I like your hair," Connor informed her. "It's so long. I always want to touch it when I see it. Hank won't let me brush his hair. He told me it was 'super fucking weird' for me to want to do that."

Samantha snorted at the sudden swear. She glanced back to see him grinning in humor as well.

"You're welcome to touch mine," she said. "I like it when you touch my hair. It feels nice."

"I will do it more often then. Anything else you would like me to do? I'll do anything you want."

Samantha smiled to herself. That was such a Connor thing to say. Plenty of room for innuendo, whether it was meant or not. She turned herself to look at him.

"Do you mind if I'm a little selfish and ask something else of you?"

"Anything. It will be my pleasure."

She crawled up closer and curled up in his lap, pressing her forehead to his temple as she rested her arms loosely around his neck. Connor reacted with hesitance, hands floating in the air, unsure of where to put them.

"Samantha? What do you want me to do?"

"Just what you're doing right now."

She felt him hesitate, then his arms went loosely around her shoulders in the same fashion. Samantha made a soft noise of contentment as she nuzzled the spot below his ear. She thought she almost, almost heard a tiny bit of a purr from him. They sat together in companionable, comfortable silence. Samantha finally felt the edge of the earlier flashback and the sound of the guns fade away.

"Connor," she said softly after a few minutes. "What does dating mean to you? What do you want out of this relationship?"

"This," he said, holding her a little tighter. "Being able to be in your presence without trying to figure out how. I just want to be near. But touching you is better. Laying in bed with you while you sleep is better."

She pulled away to look at him. "You like being in bed with me while I sleep? My Connor would get antsy. He would leave while I was sleeping, though he'd try to be back before I woke up. Which was fine. I understood. He couldn't sleep, so it was boring for him."

"I like it. It's calm and peaceful. Everywhere else I'm always on, always alert and working. But here I...for the first time I feel like I can _rest_." He paused, then emotion deepened his voice. "Androids are supposed to go forever, but...the things I see, some of these cases. Sometimes I just get so _tired._"

Samantha pulled back, cupping his face to meet his eyes. "Hey, you're safe here. You can stay as long as you want. You can always stay here when you need it. Anytime. For any reason." She kissed his forehead. "I would like to take care of you."

"We could take care of each other," Connor said. As Samantha had told him that night in the ambulance when they had first met.

"Sounds like a good plan." She gave him a quick peck on the mouth and then pulled back to observe his reaction.

Connor blinked a few times, his expression blank.

"What did you think of that?" she asked.

"I don't know. It was...fine, I suppose." He then looked at her, concerned. "Is that alright?"

She then kissed him on the nose. "Of course it is. If I ever do anything you don't like, I hope you'll let me know."

"I'm not sure that will happen, but it if does, I will tell you."

His mouth twitched up in the cutest way. She wanted to kiss him again, but since he seemed neutral to it, she decided she would keep her lips to herself. Instead, she felt the day catch up with her and announced she was ready to sleep. Connor seemed far more interested than that instead of kisses.

When they slid into bed together, Samantha suggested they change positions. She lay down and told Connor to put his head on her chest. He actually looked a little put out at the idea of interrupting his expectations. Samantha thought it was terribly amusing. But he did as she suggested.

Her fingers went to work, running through his hair, smoothing down his neck and shoulders. Connor was still for a few moments, then he shuddered and let out a mechanical sigh. In the dark, she felt his body relax and her heart melted for him. How long had he needed something like this? Then, in the stillness of night, she heard the content rumbling of an RK800 purr and tried not to cry.

* * *

.

Samantha slept soundly that night. But even in her deep sleep, she had the sensation that someone was standing at her bedside. Her eyes popped open and she nearly screamed when she saw a broad-shouldered form standing over her. A second more, and she recognized the stark white jacket of the RK900. His LED glowed blue in the darkness. She had completely forgotten he was still in her apartment.

"Samantha," he said. "I have watched these movies about the apes that become intelligent; how it horrified human kind."

"Okay," she said carefully in the darkness.

The RK900 leaned down toward her. "Is that what it was like for humans when the androids deviated? Were they afraid? Did they think their world would end and the androids would take over?"

She blinked in the darkness, trying to get her brain up to speed. "I guess maybe some people did at first. It may not be the case now."

The RK900 straightened again, a curious look of consternation on his features. "I will need to watch them again." He turned to leave.

"All three of them?" Samantha called after him. But the android had already closed the bedroom door.

Connor sat up next to her, his LED still blue, but flickering. "Are you done sleeping?"

Samantha flopped back on her pillow with a yawn. "Not yet. A few more hours." She ruffled his bangs a little and then closed her eyes.

"Alright." She felt Connor settle beside her, his arm draped over her.

* * *

.

Gavin sat down at his desk with a sour frown. His family had kept him up late and he was cranky as hell. His poor mood was immediately turned on the first person he saw—which was Nines— silently working at his desk.

"The fuck you doing here? I told you to stay with Sam."

"I was there most of the night," the android informed him without looking up. "And she was not left alone. The RK800 was with her."

"Connor was there? What fucking for?"

"He stayed the night in her room."

"The fuck?"

"Morning, Nines!" Samantha sang and she breezed through the bullpen. "You left so early. I could have taken you to the precinct with me."

"I had work to do," Nines told her.

"Well, I'm glad you got here okay." Standing behind him, she put her hands on his shoulders and briefly touched her cheek to his. Nines tolerated the touch to his face, but still leaned away slightly, a small frown on his face. Samantha grinned and brushed a few strands of his hair into place. "You're a good android."

That statement removed the frown from the RK900's face. Gavin, however, looked outwardly hostile.

"The hell is going on?" he demanded in a raspy voice. "What did you do to my partner?"

Even Samantha's demeanor soured as she looked at him. "Hello, Mr. Cranky Pants. Did you have fun with your family?"

"Don't worry about that. I want to talk to you."

Samantha backed away from their desks. "Sorry, no time. I've got to get to work."

"Hey, I'm serious. Get back here."

Samantha tapped an invisible watch on her wrist and continued to leave the area.

Gavin audibly growled after her. Then he noticed he was being watched. Across the way, Connor leaned against his desk. When did he get in? Did he come in with Samantha? He looked absolutely smug and Gavin wanted to punch that fucking smirk right off his face.

* * *

.

Samantha's supervisor was on "break", which meant Muriel would be back in an hour or two, or whenever she felt like it. Not that Samantha minded. It just meant she had to keep an eye on the front in case anyone came down looking for something, which wasn't often. And since her whole day every day was cleaning out the records room, she was getting good at helping to locate whatever old case file or record the person asked for.

When she came to attend the front, Gavin was there, leaning against the counter. Not for the first time.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked.

"Wanna have lunch with me?"

"Normally, I'd say yes. But I'm having lunch with Connor today."

"With Con—he doesn't even eat!"

She gave an easy shrug.

He eyed her. "Are you punishing me for last night?"

"No. Why would you think that? This has nothing to do with you."

He continued to frown at her skeptically. Samantha felt the urge to explain further.

"I guess...Connor and I are dating now."

Gavin's mouth fell open, but no sound came out. It took a moment for him to find the words. "Why would you do that?"

Her mouth ticked up a little. "You mean other than the fact that he's just the cutest thing on planet Earth?"

Gavin looked disgusted. "So you just trade one Ken doll for another identical Ken doll. That's sad, Sam. You need to be with a real person, not someone made of plastic."

"You think more of androids than that. What about your partner?"

"You mean the _non_-deviant? I like Nines, but I wouldn't pick him out for my sister."

"And I don't need your approval," Samantha said with a smile as she turned to go back to the storage room.

"Sam! Sam!" Gavin slipped behind the counter after her. "You're not listening to me. I know you loved this android, but he's gone. Hooking up with another of the same model is not going to bring him back."

She whirled around, hands on hips and the smile gone. "It's not your problem and not your business, Gavin. I hope you're not acting like this because you're jealous. We've already discussed that neither of us want to give what the other wants, so I don't know why you're harping on about this."

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I just want you to have something better than this. This isn't going to make you happy."

"Samantha?"

They both turned to see Connor approach the counter looking concerned.

Gavin jabbed a finger at the android. "You can't have a life with that! They're different than us! You need more than just..." He gestured vaguely.

Connor visibly looked hurt at the accusation.

Samantha huffed, shaking off his hold. "You don't get to decide who is worthy of being cared about or who gets to be in my life. Whatever's going on with you, you need to sort it out. Connor and I are going to lunch."

With that, she whisked out away from him, taking Connor with her as she quit the room.

* * *

.

Connor went home with her that night. Samantha gave him a key to her apartment when they arrived. He was now allowed to treat her place like his own and come and go as he pleased. Though Connor preferred it much more if Samantha was home as opposed to being there alone.

She showered without him this time. Connor didn't need one since he no longer smelled like a back alley dumpster. That gave him time to think while she was in the shower. Gavin's accusations still hung between the two of them, but Samantha hadn't wanted to talk about it during lunch. She simply said the detective was being an ass and wasn't worth their time and attention. Then she changed the conversation to more positive subjects.

But the conversation had never changed in Connor's mind and he couldn't let it go. When she stepped out into the living room where he waited, it was clear to her as well that it was still on his mind. So she sat on the couch next to him.

"What?" she asked, her expression gentle.

"Gavin was right," Connor said. "I cannot give you a normal human life."

She curled up, chin in her palm. "We just started dating yesterday. This seems like questions reserved for at least a few months down the road, if not a few years. If we're even still together then."

"Are you saying you'll change your mind about me?" Connor asked, distressed.

She scooted closer and put a hand on his knee. "Connor, I don't know what's going to happen in the future. Dating is about learning about each other and finding out if you're compatible. I really like you. You being an android doesn't take anything away from my happiness."

"You being human doesn't either," he said.

"There, see? Nothing Gavin or anyone else says will change the truth of that statement. You and I are the only ones who get to decide what we want and what we don't want in life and in partners, okay?"

Connor considered this and then smiled. "Okay."

"Good." Samantha took his hand and stood. "Want to come to bed with me?"

He did. He always did.

"Samantha," Connor observed as he watched her tidy a few things in her room. "You are wearing different colored underclothes than yesterday."

She glanced down at the panties that were barely being covered by her shirt. "Oh, yeah, I have a whole drawer full of them, all different."

"Why?"

"Because humans are gross, so we have to put on fresh clothes everyday. Especially the underwear."

He tipped his head to the side and watched her. "They're cute."

She laughed. "Glad you like them. Come join me in bed."

As Samantha turned off all the lights save the one on the nightstand, Connor removed his clothes in preparation for bed."

"Would you like to keep sleep clothes here?" she asked. "A t-shirt? Shorts or sweat pants?"

"Do I need them?"

"It's up to you. I want you to be comfortable."

He sat on the bed, sliding his legs under the sheets. "I'll consider it."

He kept watching her, so she waited to see what else was on his mind.

"I really liked last night, how you touched me. That was nice."

"I made you purr." She grinned.

He looked adorably self-conscious. "I was unaware I could do that. But I was hoping you would do that again."

She laughed and then ran her fingers through his hair. "You're just a little puppy dog, wanting someone to pet you."

Connor didn't respond. His eyes were already closed in bliss. Samantha continued to oblige as she ran her fingers over his features. Her thumbs rubbed his temples, the pads of her fingers massaged the back of his neck. Her nails raked lightly through his hair. Connor was in heaven. He was nearly purring again when he opened his eyes.

"Better?"

"Yes. Thank you, Samantha."

"Would you...like to touch me at all?"

Connor thought about it. She was always trying to accommodate his needs. He didn't want to be selfish and constantly take in this relationship. He had already taken quite a bit.

"No, but thank you. I think this is enough."

She paused. Her smile seemed fake for a blink and then she turned from him. "Alright, night Connor." She reached to flip off the bedside lamp.

As light switched to darkness, something in Connor considered that she might actually be asking about something she wanted, not just offering for his sake. He liked being touched. Why wouldn't she like it, too?

"Would you like me to touch you?" he asked her in the darkness.

By the dim city light leaking through the curtain, he saw her flounder. She wanted it, but she didn't know how to ask. He reached out and cupped her face in one hand. Her eyes closed as she leaned into his palm. Then her hand pulled his away.

"You don't have to touch me if you don't like it."

"It isn't a matter of dislike, Samantha. I understand that a relationship is give and take on both sides. I'm afraid I am better at taking than giving. I want to do things with you, for you—I would very much like all of it—I just don't know what those things are. I'm afraid you'll have to instruct me until I am more familiar."

She made a soft, amused sound. "Starting all over again."

"Like it was with you and the Other Connor."

She tipped her head. "Is that how you think of him? The Other Connor?"

"Yes. I think about him often. About all the things that he had learned—that I had learned—and how we could have shared with each other and learned together. I wonder about all the many things he knew about you." His gaze met hers in the darkness. "I think about how he would like me to take care of you." When she glanced away, he added. "I _want _to take care of you. There is a joy about being with you that I'm just barely comprehending. I'm eager to learn more. Believe me, just because you're the one who has to suggest it, it doesn't mean I don't want to."

Samantha had to look away. Hands on her cheeks, they felt red hot. Her heart thudded. Then his hands slid under hers, guiding her to look at him.

"If you want me to touch you," he murmured in a husky voice, "then I will happily touch you as much as you want."

She was both embarrassed and turned on, and he wouldn't let her face turn from him as his fingers kneaded the base of her neck while his thumbs caressed her temples. She closed her eyes and shuddered, positively melting for him. For the first time, she realized maybe she had grown a bit touch-starved, too. Particularly, starved for that touch of a lover; someone who cared about her and she for them.

It was pure reaction to the moment to touch him back. Her fingers ghosted up his bare arms, then back down. Connor paused to watch her, hands still on her. Eventually, he closed his eyes and allowed himself just to feel.

The two scooted closer now, Samantha's legs draped over his thighs as hands became bolder. Connor remembered back to when she had slid her arms underneath his jacket the night before. His hands did the same now, sliding under her loose shirt to skim over her back. Samantha stiffened with a gasp; a response he had never seen on a human before. She seemed to like it; and he liked that she liked it.

He also liked Samantha's hands on him, rubbing his neck and shoulders. They smoothed over his chest, going lower until they touched the glowing ring of his power core.

Connor instantly snapped her hand away from him. There was a blink of fear from Samantha as he clutched her wrist almost too tight. He held her wrist between them, face stern and LED blinking red.

"Why would you do that?" he demanded.

"Touch your core?" she asked in a small voice. "I thought...Connor liked it when I touched him there. But you..." She paused to let out a long breath to calm her racing heart. She understood now as she took in his face and body language. "You don't like it. Something happened to you."

"I've had my power core forcefully ripped out by another android. Androids are not supposed to feel pain, but I...I felt that."

Samantha was crestfallen. "Connor, I am so sorry." She immediately wanted to reach for him. He still had her wrist and he looked like he wasn't amenable to any other touch. "That was my fault. I knew androids are protective of it. I should have asked first."

A few more moments and Connor slowly softened. Instead of releasing her hand, his pressed it to his thirium pump. She felt the thrum; faster than usual, but slowing.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again. "I don't ever want to hurt you."

"It didn't hurt. But I wasn't prepared for that. I'm sorry, too, if I scared you. I don't ever want to hurt you either."

She smiled at him. "We're fine. We learned something today." She slipped her bare legs under the covers. "How about we call it a night?"

Connor copied her actions. Both lay in bed on their backs, looking at the ceiling. Several moments passed. Since Connor didn't seem keen on cuddling now, she wondered if he would even stay all night.

"The Other Connor, he liked you to touch his core?" Connor wondered in the darkness.

"He had a love/hate relationship with it. He would complain a little if I touched it, but then he would come completely undone. He actually got off on it big time."

"Got off? You mean like an orgasm? This can happen to androids?"

"It can. Though for androids not specifically built for that kind of thing, it's a little tricky. It took us a while to figure it out."

Connor ruminated on this before speaking again. "Could I experience it?"

"I'm sure you could. Though it may also take us a while to map it out. Since it seems his hot spot isn't going to be the same for you."

"I never considered the possibility that I may find that kind of physical pleasure." He rolled his head to look in her direction. "Would you be able to reach sexual climax...with me?"

She grinned at the ceiling. "Oh yes, definitely."

Connor gazed back at the ceiling. He knew there was a physical aspect of dating, but he hadn't really considered anything past being near Samantha and having her touch his face or put her head on his shoulder. Sexual intimacy was part of human romantic relationships. The Other Connor had experienced this, enjoyed it. There was a possibility that he could, too. He just had to figure out how.


	7. Chapter 7: How to Date a Human

**.**

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Seven: How to Date a Human**

Connor didn't go home with her the next night. He still worked in homicide and the job set no particular hours. A crime scene was called in that evening and Connor and Hank were given the case. Samantha was okay with that. This relationship was still new. Connor didn't need to be in bed with her every night. Especially since it felt like he was getting antsy while she slept.

Connor may like or even need a night of rest once in a while, but he was still an android. Since he seemed to have gotten his fill, it would probably be a while until he was content to stay in bed the entire night once more. She was okay with that, too. She liked that Connor had other people in his life and a job that kept him busy. She had wished that her Connor had been able to expand his world like this one had.

By the second day, she still hadn't seen Connor, but he sent her a text: _What color are you wearing?_

It took her a moment to figure that out. Did he just ask about...her panties?"

* * *

.

Connor paused in reviewing files when he received a one-word text: _Pink._

A smile immediately began pulling at the side of his mouth.

"The fuck you grinning at with all those crime-scene photos in front of you?" Hank demanded.

Connor quickly schooled his expression and smiled more to himself when he wasn't in his partner's rage of sight. It would be a question he would text her quite often from then on.

* * *

.

There were many empty, abandoned buildings in Detroit that found a second lease on life when the concept of android housing began to enter the market. Bankrupt building owners who could neither rent nor sell their buildings were able bring in a new source of income without making too many changes. There were no housing requirements in place for androids, which meant landlords could get away with the bare minimum. As long as the buildings met the safety codes of a generic public storage facility, they were allowed to rent out spaces to androids.

This particular building was one of the better ones, as the owner hired an android to be the building manager. The android was given a free place to live and a very small wage—something a human could never live on. But for an android, it was plenty. And while this would have been another slum lord type building, the android manager just started repairing it himself. Since he didn't eat or sleep, he spent all his free time improving the building. Now it was the most sought-after android housing in Detroit. Other android rental properties were following suit. Many androids were still homeless and unemployed, but the situation was slowly improving.

It was at this particular rental property that Connor knocked on one of the doors. A female model android answered. In the background, there were several other androids in a very small one-room living space. This was common to have many living in one small space. Androids didn't need much room or furniture. The space was mostly used as a place for social groups to meet and spend time off the street. An android could also go several days without having a need to go home, leaving the space to be used by others in the group.

"Hello, is Scott home?" Connor asked.

The female android looked him up and down, a frown beginning to form. "May I ask why?"

Connor was about to speak when the android in question presented himself. "Hello, Connor. I'm so glad you came to visit." He looked at the suspicious female android, then at the other androids within. "How about we go for a walk?"

* * *

.

"You seem to be doing well," Connor commented as the two androids walked down the street. Only Connor was visibly identified as such with his LED and jacket.

"I'm slowly getting there," the other android replied. "It's been...I believe the humans call it culture shock, but Adalind has been helping me. That was her you met at the door. I'm afraid she is protective of me."

"It's not bad to have someone looking out for you," Connor replied. "I see you removed your LED."

"All the androids in my group suggested I do so. They are my friends. I've never had friends before—human or android. So far, they have all been android, but maybe I will meet more humans in the future. I would like to find a job. I think I would enjoy employment."

"I enjoy it greatly. I hope you find something. Perhaps I can ask around, though I'm not exactly sure what the job market is like. I am still doing the same profession I was designed for."

Scott smirked a little to himself. "Yes, I'm quite sure you and I will differ greatly in that department."

Connor found it to be good that the other android had a sense of humor about it. When North had helped him escape the house where he had been kept in a closet his whole life, Connor wasn't sure how he would adjust to a life outside his four walls. He was happy to see that Scott was adapting and looking to find a new place for himself.

"Do you mind if I ask: have you ever tried to contact the woman who owned you?" Connor noticed there was a slight halt in Scott's step at the question.

"I have not. Though, to be honest, I have thought about it often. Adalind would be very disappointed with me if I did. She doesn't want either of us to have anything to do with her."

"And you?"

A sad smile pulled at his mouth. "Is it terrible that I miss her?"

Connor had to think about that. "I'm honestly not sure. I don't think it's a bad thing. She was a large part of your life. And she didn't ever hurt or abuse you, I assume?"

"No, nothing like that. I was a tool and she used me for that specific purpose. Most of the time, when she was finished, she would put me back in the closet. When in storage, I didn't think about it one way or the other. Other than I remember I would sometimes wonder when I would see her again.

"There were certain times when Theresa would look at me as if I were a person. Instead of using me and putting me away, she would allow me to make love to her. Then we would lay together in bed all night. She would run her fingers through my hair and rest her head on my shoulder. On those nights, she called me Scott. Those were my favorite nights. But...Scott wasn't my name, it was the name of her husband who died. A man she loved dearly. Theresa wasn't a bad person. She was very lonely and sad. Perhaps even more so now that I left her.

"I just want to know that she's okay. I wish I could tell her I didn't leave because I hated her. It's...I believe it might be the opposite."

"You love her," Connor guessed.

"I don't know if I could call it that, but I care greatly about her and I want to see her again. You probably think it's strange for me to feel this way about a human."

"I don't. I have humans in my life I care about very much. My partner at work, Hank. And I'm dating a human woman."

Scott stopped suddenly, his steps frozen in place. He looked at Connor as if he never considered such a concept to be plausible. "You. Are dating a human?"

"The relationship is very new, but yes."

They began walking again.

"She is attracted to you, even though you're an android?" Scott asked.

"She said she thinks I'm cute."

"And she wanted an android boyfriend?"

"I pursued her, actually. She loved another android, the same model as me, who died. The relationship is complicated and I know she struggles. But she is also very kind. Everything she does seems to be for my benefit. I want to return the favor. She always tries to accommodate me being an android—and very naive at romantic relationships. I would like to do something to be more accommodating to her needs. To thank her for always understanding."

Scott smiled a little at this. "And what did you have in mind for that?"

"I would like to know how to make love to her."

Scott actually snorted; the most deviant thing Connor had seen him do. "I might be wrong, but I would guess that offering sexual gratification as a thank you might irritate your human more than make her happy."

"Really?" Connor wondered. "Why would that be?"

"Sex—making love—is about both of you bonding together. It's not something to offer as a gift."

"Then what should I do? I think she wants more physical intimacy, but I don't know how. I like touching her and I like being touched by her, but I'm not doing it in the way she needs."

"Is that why you came to see me, then? Because I know how to be physically intimate with humans?"

"I also wanted to see how you were doing, but yes. You have far more knowledge than me on this subject. Specific programs that I was hoping you would allow me to download."

Scott stopped by the side of the building so they could speak more privately between them. "I do have these programs, but they're not compatible with every android. Our bodies are different. My design is made with more sensors and silicon so we feel more like humans. I also have extra hardware to make me more similar to human males. I understand a great many other models don't have this."

"I do," Connor said. "I have the outer hardware, but not the programs to go with it."

Scott tipped his head curiously.

"I don't know why they built me that way," Connor continued. "I'm a prototype. They were always trying new things with each body they built."

"I see. I will allow you to download my programs if you wish, but you will not be the same after. You will never be the same again, Connor. Make sure that is what you want."

Connor blinked at him, unsure of what that meant. He couldn't imagine how downloading one program—a mere group of protocols—could change him that drastically. But he still took the words to heart. "Like deviating all over again?"

Scott smiled. "Yes, I think it would be a bit like that." He held out his hand, the synthetic skin revealing a shell encased in a thin layer of silicon. "Only if you're sure."

Would he deviate again for Samantha? Connor didn't even have to think about it. Deviation was confusing and drastic, but it wasn't bad. He was sure this wasn't bad either. He took the offered hand. The uploading began as new information flooded in. The biggest shock to Connor's system was the recalibration of his textile sensitivity. He practically gasped as the settings were cranked up higher than they had ever been. He was left shivering as his mind and his body came to terms with this.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked.

Connor hunched. His clothes were touching him everywhere and it was almost too much. "Are these your settings?"

"This is close to the sensitivity of human skin. They feel everything, everywhere. Both pleasure and pain, and everything in between."

Connor rubbed his hands up and down his arms and shuddered at the near overwhelming amount of feedback. Scott put hands on his shoulders and Connor stiffened at the touch.

"Give it a minute, stay calm. Let yourself organize all the feedback. You'll get used to it. It will get better."

Connor closed his eyes as his LED roiled from red to yellow. He allowed himself to calm down, his thirium pump to slow. That helped a bit.

"Give yourself some time," Scott said. "Let's walk around a bit more. Maybe we can find a proper gift for your girlfriend while we're at it."

* * *

.

Connor paused at Samantha's apartment door, key in hand. He had never entered the apartment without her, though he had her permission to do so. It felt impolite. But if he just knocked, she would ask him why he didn't use the key.

So he unlocked the door and then knocked as he entered, calling out to her.

"That you, Connor?" she called. "I'm in here making dinner."

He followed the sound of her voice and found her cooking in the kitchen, a small pan of stir fry on the stove.

"Hey there, I haven't seen you in a few days," she greeted cheerfully. "Been busy?"

"Yes, actually. Though I'm sorry I've been absent lately."

"Not at all! You have important work to do. It's totally okay that you're out there doing your job."

"Still, I need to make time for you, too. I got you this." He held out the silvery teddy bear he had been holding.

Samantha turned off the stove to give him her full attention. "This is for me? You brought me a present?"

"Only if you like it."

She took the bear slowly. "He's so soft. Thank you."

"He's to snuggle when I'm not here," Connor said with humor.

"Aww." She hugged the bear with both arms. "He's very nice. Though I think I still prefer snuggling with you mor—"

He was in her space, his mouth on hers. He cupped her jaw, guiding her to deepen the kiss. Samantha melted against him, her eyes sliding shut. Connor had shown zero interest in kissing before. This was a brand new revelation. And he turned out to be an amazing kisser. Samantha was weak in the knees when he let her go to take a breath.

"I enjoyed that," Connor said. He sounded a little surprised and breathless himself. He never understood why humans touched their mouths to each other, other than it was a physical show of affection. He did not know it was also pleasurable. Not until he could feel the softness of Samantha's lips on his, not until her kiss made his thirium pump pound in excitement.

He wanted to kiss her again, but Samantha gave him a quick peck on the side of the mouth and then loosened his tie.

"Take off your jacket and stay a while, cutie. I'm almost done cooking."

He did just that as she fixed herself a plate of food and the two of them sat at her tiny, two-chair table. Samantha asked him about work and listened while she ate. He asked about her as well, and as she talked, he held out his hand to her. Still speaking, she offered. She soon forgot what she was saying as she watched him learn her hand with the pads of his fingers.

She watched him study their touch. "What's up? Something's different about you."

Not looking away from their hands he said, "I had an upgrade today. My textile sensors and skin sensitivity are now supposed to be closer to that of a human's."

"Ooh! That's exciting! How's that been for you?"

"It's different. Overwhelming sometimes. But I'm starting to like it." His hand still held hers and his thumb brushed over her skin. "I feel closer to the things I touch somehow. I feel I now connect better with the world."

"That's good," Samantha said. "Even if it may take some time to get used to." She undid the cuff of Connor's sleeve and pushed it up as far as the stiff shirt would allow. Her fingers slid under the material, up and down his arm.

His LED flickered, his air intakes hitched.

"How does that feel?" she asked.

Connor just closed his eyes, relishing the physical sensation. Samantha slid off the stool. He opened his eyes when he felt her loosen his tie and then undo the top two buttons of his shirt. Her fingers slid under the collar to run along his clavicle.

"What about that?"

Connor stood, crushing her to him as he kissed her again. Even as he kissed her, he marveled at this need, this hunger to press his mouth with hers that came with his new program. He didn't know why he was compelled, he only knew that he liked it. That the act sent further sensors and protocols into action as he pressed her body pressed firmly into his.

Samantha pushed gently against his chest to get some space. "Okay, calm down a little. Take a moment. No need to get too crazy on your first day. You might fritz yourself out."

"I'm fine," Connor insisted. "You don't have to hold back on my account."

She smiled in humor. "I'm sure it's exciting, but maybe -_hic-_ you should take it slow to see how it affects your systems."

Connor tipped his head at her. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That thing you just did."

"I didn't—" She made the same high-pitched "hic" sound again. "Oh, I guess I have the hiccups."

"The what?" Connor inspected her closely. "Are you glitching? Do it again."

"It's not a glitch and I can't just do it on cue."

Connor watched her silently. Twenty more seconds and another hiccup popped out. Samantha put her hands over her mouth.

"Don't do that," Connor said, taking her wrist. "I want to see it. It's cute."

"They're annoying, they're not cute."

"But you make the cutest sound. And if you can't control it, I'm pretty sure that makes it a glitch." He hugged her around the torso, pressing his ear to her chest.

With arms out, Samantha asked, "What are you doing?" _Hic._

Connor laughed out loud. "I just wanted to feel it. It makes your whole body glitch, doesn't it?"

"You are finding this far too amusing."

He was beaming. "I like learning things about you. And you're just so cute."

For some reason, that compliment made her face redder than even his kisses. She wasn't used to getting compliments like that from a handsome man while he looked at her so intently.

"You are being silly. Is this part of your upgrade?"

Connor was still practically laughing in glee. "I don't know. But I feel very happy. _Tickled_, even."

"Tickled?" She poked him in the side curiously. Connor actually made a squeak and jerked back. "Your upgrade made you ticklish?" She poked him again and now it was her turn to laugh when he jumped away. "Now who's glitching?"

Connor narrowed his eyes at her and grabbed her, pressing his fingers into her sides. She squealed and jerked away, nearly as wide-eyed as he. Connor took a predatory stance on her and Samantha bolted to the bedroom with a laughing cry. She tried to close the door on him, but he was too fast. He had her, tickling her mercilessly. She screamed between laughs and tickled him back. Connor made the most hilarious noises, his LED jumping to yellow. But both would not back down. The tickle fight went on until Samantha collapsed on the bed and begged for surcease.

"No more. Stop. Stop," she panted between laughs. "I can't...breath." She rolled in agony, still laughing, though she was trying to stop. "Oh God, my sides. Owowow!"

Connor flopped on the bed with her, his chest rising and falling in jerking cycles as he vented air through his recovering systems. He, too, was still chuckling while his systems processed the massive amount of new feedback he just experienced.

"What kind of program did you download?" Samantha asked after a while. She now had her laughter under control, though she was still flush. "You're suddenly ticklish, you like kissing now. Was it to make you act more human?"

"In a way. It's a personal intimate companion program. It makes my body have the same sensitivity as a human's, as well as it should make my body react like a human's during physical and sexual intimacy."  
Deadpan, Samantha said, "So, you got your penis program."

His mouth ticked up. "I assure you, it's more than just that, but you're not wrong."

She laughed again, and immediately regretted it when her sides ached anew. She rolled over, her back to him, as she calmed herself once more.

"Once you uploaded this program, you came here," she said in the following stillness. She watched the wall, not moving. Listening for anything from the android behind her.

After a few moments, she heard the hush of starched material as he moved. His hand touched her shoulder. Fingers traveled down her arm to intermingle with hers as Connor rested his chin in the crook of her neck.

"This doesn't mean we have to do any more than this," Connor said softly. "I just wanted to feel your touch." He nuzzled behind her ear. "This is enough for me."

He raised back on his elbow as Samantha rolled toward him. He hovered over her, brushed the stray strands from her face. Brushed his lips against her forehead, then her cheek.

"I thought you were soft before," he whispered. "Now I can really feel you."

She took his hand and pressed it above her heart. He closed his eyes.

"I can feel this, too."

While his eyes were still closed, she kissed him. Slow, letting him feel the sensation of her lips brushing his. Connor's hand traveled down, between her breasts to the hem of her shirt. There, his fingers slipped beneath to feel the skin at her side. He pulled back to watch her, to make sure she was comfortable with his action.

Her response was a grin. She cupped the back of his head and then kissed him again. Then his nose, then his cheek. Then she playfully set her teeth to his ear and tugged lightly.

Connor let out a sound of surprise.

"You okay?" Samantha asked, humor in her voice.

"Yes. I was just far more sensitive than I expected to be."

"It can be an erogenous zone on humans. How about this?" She rubbed her fingers in the space behind the shell of his ear. Connor closed his eyes and shuddered.

"I didn't know being human was like this. Can you show me more? Would that be okay?"

Samantha slowly sat up and Connor moved with her. Their eyes locked as she rolled them over until he was on his back and she straddled his hips before leaning forward. Her hair brushed the pillow beside him.

"I'm okay with anything you want to do," she told him. "I just need you to let me know if you get uncomfortable or if it becomes too much. You've had this program for less than a day. With my Connor, we took it slow, figured things out. It's okay if you need some time."

"He didn't have the programs I do. I know how it works. I know how human intimacy works. He didn't. He had to learn it the way humans do."

She booped his nose. "Knowing it and experiencing it are two different things."

Connor locked his eyes with hers. "I want to experience it."

Samantha said nothing. Her fingers worked the buttons on his shirt one at a time. She kissed his chest as it was exposed. Connor tipped his head back, eyes closed as to focus on her lips against his skin. She reached the glowing ring of his power core. Connor stiffened and watched. She pressed her palm flat over the ring and kissed the back of her hand. Then continued to work her way down. Her tongue pressed momentarily in the dip that served as a navel, then she reached his belt.

A glance up confirmed Connor was still quite comfortable with what was happening, so she continued. His shoes were removed, then his jeans were tugged down his legs. When Samantha crawled back toward him, Connor sat up to meet her.

"Can I?" he asked as he reached for the hem of her shirt.

She directed his hands and then lifted her arms so he could gently tug it off of her. As Samantha kicked off her capris, he guided her down to the bed, pressing his face into her neck.

"I want to be close to you," Connor murmured softly. "I want...I don't know how to describe it. More. I want more than this. I...I need..."

She gently shushed him, running her fingers through his hair. She kissed his forehead, then his temple. Her lips found his as her hands rubbed his shoulders, then smoothed down his chest. He completely froze as her hands went lower and rubbed him in a place he had never been touched before.

"Still okay?" she asked.

He closed his eyes as she continued to fondle him, only a thin material between them. This. He had never felt anything like this before. Was this true physical arousal?

"More," he rasped, pushing into her hand.

Her hand slipped inside his briefs and stroked him. A bit awkwardly, as it was new for her, too. Connor outright groaned deep, face pressed between her breasts. "Yes, please. Please don't stop. Why does this feel so good?"

"Probably because it's programmed into you that it should feel good," Samantha responded with amusement.

To Connor's disappointment, she did stop and rolled them both over so he was now on his back. She helped him out of his briefs, leaving him naked, save for his socks. The first erection he ever had stood proudly between them and Samantha climbed up, straddling his thighs.

"Okay to keep going?"

He tried to sit up. "Should I help?"

"Stay," she said gently, hand on his chest to keep him down. "I've got you. Just enjoy this."

He looked torn and confused. Samantha gave him a confident smile as she slipped out of her panties and tossed them aside. She positioned herself over him and heard him gasp, felt the clench of his body, as she slowly sank. She took him in inch by inch and he was trembling by the time she was fully seated upon him. His fists clenched the sheets, his LED rolling into yellow.

She watched as his wide eyes flickered to her face, down to where they joined, and up to her again.

"I—I feel you," he said. "We're connected. You're all around me. Like we just fit together."

"Mmmhmm," she hummed with amusement.

"Does this...feel good to you, too?"

In answer, she leaned forward and kissed him; slow, deep. Then she moved her hips and tasted his cry. She guided his hands to her hips as she continued to move. Connor was helpless to do little more than hang on and ride out a the new sensations. They overwhelmed his CPU, threatened to crash it. He stubbornly resisted, kept his focus. Jerked his hips up; watched as her thick lashes fluttered. She leaned over him again as she rode him, a hand on either side of his head, her hair brushing his shoulder.

Connor tried to watch her, but the crash was coming, no matter how he tried to fight it. The sensations he could hardly understand suddenly hit a crescendo and his vision flickered. Sparks of pleasure surged through his system and he reset. Only a few seconds was he out, and then everything kicked back on. His air intakes panted, trying to cool his overheated systems. He lay there trembling, eyes blinking in wonder.

"How was that?" Samantha asked, brushing hair from his forehead.

Connor couldn't process words. How had he ever felt alive before this? He shivered as if suddenly cold and a tear escaped his eye.

Samantha made a soft cooing noise and wiped it away. "It's okay," she whispered, pressing her forehead to his. "You're okay."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down. They lay side by side in each other's arms. He in his socks, she still in her bra.

"My pump's still beating so fast," Connor marveled.

She pressed a hand to his chest. "Tell me about it."

"It was freeing. Frightening. Exhilarating. I thought I knew how everything felt. I thought I understood how it felt to be alive. I knew nothing."

She laughed softly. "Being alive is learning over and over again that you still haven't discovered everything there is to being alive."

Connor vented hot air onto her skin, then pulled back curiously. "Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Did you achieve sexual climax, too? You said that you could with me."

"I enjoyed it. But I was more focused on you. I wanted to make sure you had a positive experience."

"It was very positive. I can go again if you'd like."

She looked at his LED, in the blue now, but flickering wildly. Heat still radiated off his taxed body.

"I think it's a good idea to let you and your systems rest first. I'm sure there will be other opportunities."

"Good. I would like to try this again. I have all this new data: scenarios, positions—"

Samantha barked out a laugh. "I bet you do."

She slid out of bed to recover her clothes. It was still a few hours until bedtime. She found her panties and then decided to dig out some lounge pants and a comfy shirt instead of going back to her day clothes. Connor was uncharacteristically very quiet while she did this. She wondered if he was watching her dress.

When she turned around, she found him asleep. Or in recharge. She still wasn't sure what the correct term would be. But Connor was out. His eye were closed, his LED slowly blinking on and off in a calm, unhurried blue. Samantha wasn't surprised at all. He had a very stimulating day with a lot of firsts. His body needed the rest.

She climbed up on the bed and watched him. The first time she could really study him without him engaging her and breaking her concentration. Her finger swirled over his LED, knowing it wouldn't disturb him. For the first time, Samantha noticed the collection of freckles on his chest and face were completely different from her Connor's. In fact, now that she really looked at him, she decided Nines actually looked more like her Connor than the Connor from Detroit.

It was the brow. Nines had the same ever-concerned brow. It was sterner on the RK900. It made him look more intimidating. But her Connor had that look, too. Always suspicious, always on the lookout for any possible threats. Even when he recharged, that brow was still there. The Connor from Detroit slept with a softer face, like the stressors of the world couldn't reach him, even though Samantha knew they did.

She pulled the blanket up to cover his nude form and remained by his side, watching thoughtfully. They had had sex, but they hadn't made love. She idly wondered if she would ever make love again. Did she even remember how?

When Connor was alive, their physical relationship was next to non-existent by the end. The stress of hiding, of living with so many people in a cramped little house took the passion from her. She wasn't comfortable being intimate, but she always thought she had time. That it would get better and they would be able to connect again.

Instead, she lost him. She would never make love to him again. When he died, something inside her died. The part of her that loved deeply, that felt passion and craved touch. She became indifferent to physical intimacy. It was nice when Connor touched her, she liked it just fine. But she felt no desire, no burning need to physically connect. She adored Connor, but she wasn't sure she had enough in her to love again. Not like she had loved before.

She looked over at Connor, still in gentle recharge. He deserved better. He didn't deserve someone so broken with so much baggage. His first love should be joyous and exciting. Samantha doubted she was either of those things. Yet, he continued to peruse her, and she didn't have it in her to reject him. How could she? He was a piece of her Connor. All she wanted was for him to be happy.

After brushing a few strands from his forehead, she decided she couldn't leave him there alone, even if it was still a few hours before bedtime. After cleaning up the kitchen, she grabbed a book and read beside him while he recharged.

* * *

.

Outside the apartment complex, a similar-looking android watched the bedroom window with its light still on. Sharp, pale eyes over a severe brow. The RK900's stark white jacket practically glowed in the fading light of the summer evening.

Though he was focused, the android's sensors picked up a human's approach before he was suddenly grabbed from behind by a male whose shorter height was very familiar.

"Caught you, fucker!" the human hissed.

* * *

.

Hank looked up from his computer when he could no longer standing the humming. "Connor! Knock it off! For Christ's sake!"

Connor paused, sitting at his own desk where he had been far too cheerfully making noise. "Sorry, Hank. I didn't realize."

Hank frowned. Connor didn't seem too sorry. He was more chipper and bright-eyed than Hank had ever seen him.

"What the hell's up with you anyway? You get laid or something?"

It had been a joke. But when Connor raised a brow at him, Hank snorted.

"Shit. No way."

Connor smirked. "I _do_ have a girlfriend, Hank. It can't be that hard to believe."

"You don't have a girlfriend. You have a girl you've been 'dating' for a few days. If you could even call it that."

Connor's brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand. I asked her if we could date and she said yes."

"Date exclusively?"

Now Connor looked borderline offended.

"Look," Hank said, leaning forward and keeping his voice low. This wasn't a conversation he wanted the whole bullpen to be privy to. "This isn't something that happens all at once. Maybe you see a few different girls, maybe her a few different guys. Try a variety. You just started doing this. You _can_ meet more people. More girls. More _android_ girls."

"No, Hank," Connor insisted. "I don't need other girls. I have Samantha."

Hank waved him off. "Whatever. The point is, relationships take time. A girlfriend is someone you know well. Someone you love—someone you're falling in love with. Someone you could possibly see spending the rest of your life with. Becoming that close to a person—really getting to know them intimately—takes more than a few days."

"I love her, Hank."

"No, you don't. And don't you dare tell her that, you're going to freak her out. You're just smitten with crushing for the first time like a damn teenager. Everything seems like a big deal right now, but real love comes with really knowing a person. Real love is something that grows, that always continues to grow. Maybe you're off on the right start, but you're not there yet."

Connor frowned at him, confused.

"Hey guys," Miller called to them. "Did you see what's on the news?"

"Thank, God," Hank muttered, happy for a change of subject. "What's that?" he asked louder.

"Check out the break room TV. They're talking about it right now."

* * *

.

Samantha saw him as Gavin walked into the records room and didn't look too thrilled about it. Still, she waited to hear what he had to say.

"Hey, you were right about Nines," Gavin said, jerking his head to get the RK900 to approach the counter. "I caught this fucking weirdo outside your apartment last night, watching your window. He has been following you around."

Her brows raised as she looked at the android. "Why?"

When the RK900 didn't say anything, Gavin spoke for him.

"He said he imprinted on you or some shit. I dunno how. I don't even know what the hell it means. I thought maybe you know androids better than me. Or we can go ask the techs downstairs about it."

Samantha's expression turned to understanding. "I'm in your imprinting program, aren't I?"

"Yes," Nines confirmed.

"And what does that mean?" Gavin asked.

"It's a program that was originally designed to help androids identify their owners from the general public. Largely so the android could tell if they were being stolen. Since Nines is your partner, I assume you're in his imprint file. Probably so he can identify where his loyalties lie. A non-deviant android, I would assume, is indifferent to any human, innocent civilian or perpetrator. You're in there so he knows you're the one he should listen to and protect."

Gavin glanced at Nines. "So, why'd he put you in that file?"

"I don't think he did." Samantha waited until the RK900 met her eyes. "I was already in your file when you were activated, right?"

The android's brow twitched. "Yes," he admitted.

"Because all your programming came from the same source as my Connor's. You fight like him. Sometimes you remind me of him. I was put into his imprint file when we purchased Connor. And those sloppy hacks at Cyberlife never bothered to take me out. Probably because they never thought in a million years the two of us would meet."

Nines just watched her as she talked, as if waiting for her to pass some sort of judgment upon him.

"You can delete me from your file," Samantha told him.

For the first time, the RK900 looked genuinely distressed. His brows furrowed, his LED flickering into yellow. "Why?" he rasped in a tone that made Gavin raise a brow.

"Because I'm not your responsibility. Because it's interfering with your job."

He opened his mouth as if to protest; nothing came out. He looked at Gavin, then back at her. "I don't...want..."

His yellow LED flickered faster. The first time the RK900 had ever declared a want.

"Fine," Gavin said. He leaned against the desk, willing to go down this rabbit hole. "Why should you keep it? What if I need you when you're out stalking Sam for no reason?"

"Why do you follow me?" Samantha wondered. "What are you trying to do?"

"Confirm you are unharmed and in a safe place."

Of course. A bodyguard's protocols. She felt stupid for asking. "What if you just texted me when you wanted to check? I know you have my number."

The RK900's brows rose at the possibility.

"You may even come over to visit if you'd like—provided you text me first to ask. _And_ you must also be off-duty. Work comes first."

The RK900 took a moment to process. "This is acceptable."

"Samantha!" Connor's voice entered the room before he did; practically sliding through the doorway in his hurry. If an android could look winded, that was how Connor looked; a little wide-eyed and wind-swept. "It's on the news. A bill to give citizen's rights to androids has passed committee and is now being brought before the Senate."

Samantha brightened. "Oh, wow! That's amazing news."

Gavin huffed. "I'll believe it when I see it. Several android bills have gone up the ladder and they've all been kicked back down."

"None of them have made it this far," Connor reminded. "This could be the one."

"Don't get too excited until you see exactly what's on that paperwork. Humankind isn't in a hurry to give you the same rights as humans. The government'll make you legal enough to tax the hell out of you and little else."

"Maybe for the first round," Samantha said. "But it's a step in the right direction. Once you're considered citizens, the door is open to push for equality." She looked at Connor. "I think we should celebrate. What do you want to do tonight, Connor?"

He glanced at Gavin and then raised a confident brow. "You?"

Her jaw dropped, comically scandalized. "Connor, we're at work."

He smirked back to her.

"Oh, God." Gavin rolled his eyes. "Come on, Nines. It's getting disgusting in here."

* * *

.

They went out to dinner. Of course, Connor couldn't eat, but it was becoming less of a problem as humanity became used to deviants. At most places now androids could sit with their dine-in guests if they paid a cover charge. An unspoken rule was to tip the server as if all in the party had eaten. Most patrons were just happy to be able to come in with their android friends and companions without being hassled and gladly paid.

Connor, too, didn't mind paying so he could spend time with Samantha. He found he liked watching her eat. There was something satisfying about seeing her take care of herself. Though he had to admit, this wasn't any of his doing. He wasn't sure why, but something Gavin had said to her had made her start eating just to spite him. This had kick-started her appetite and she was now eating on a regular basis and slowly gaining some healthy weight.

After dinner, they walked around for a while until their movie started. They had premium reclining seats for the feature. This wasn't Connor's first time at a theater, but the first time he had reached over to hold someone's hand during the movie. Their fingers entwined. Samantha idly ran her fingers up and down his. It made Connor shiver. Samantha then raised the armrest between them and cuddled up to his side for the rest of the movie. All Connor could think about after was getting her home.

When they reached her apartment, Connor barely waited for them to get through the door before he pressed her against it and kissed her. She returned it, though not as fervently.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Still celebrating," came the response between kisses.

He continued to kiss her. Samantha seemed neutral about it at first, then her fingers grabbed his collar and she spun them around. Now he was the one pressed against the door. Her mouth went to work, kissing and nipping up his jawline. Connor tilted his head back, allowing access to his neck. She continued to light up his sensors with her lips while her fingers loosened his tie.

Soon, his jacket fell to the floor, his tie was tugged over his head and tossed on the couch. The buttons of his shirt were undone one by one as Samantha kissed her way down and ran her hands over him. Connor couldn't even think straight. His systems were singing; stupidly overjoyed at the attention. Especially when she undid his belt and slipped her hand into his pants.

"S—Sam," he whispered with a hitch in his voice.

"I've got you," she murmured into his neck. Her fingers curved around him. "Let me take care of you."

Connor made a hissing noise as she freed him from his pants and began to stroke his length. Slow. Applying pressure. Rubbing her thumb around the tip and then sliding back down. Connor closed his eyes as the feedback came rushing in. Little squeaks and whimpers were coaxed out of him that were absolutely delicious to hear. Samantha slowed her pace, helping him go longer than the time before.

The crash was harder this time, his knees nearly giving way. Samantha helped support him as he slumped against her. She held him as he vented air and gathered his strength. Then she helped put him back together. She was halfway through buttoning his shirt when he finally had the presence of mind to take her wrists. He didn't want his clothes back on. He had been hoping both of their clothes would come off.

"Sam," he murmured.

"Hm?" she asked. Her face was gently flushed from watching the show. Her body had warmed against him.

He rubbed her palm with his thumb. "Why won't you let me do the same for you? I want you to feel good, too."

* * *

.

Her heart picked up as he both called her out and offered at the same time. A part of her thrilled at his want of her, but that thrill was stopped at an invisible gate.

"I don't know. I don't know how to put it into words."

"Do you not want me to?"

"It's not about want. I don't _feel_ anything."

He looked hurt. "You don't care about me?"

"No, I do. I adore you. So much. But I just keep...hitting this emotional wall when you want to be intimate. I should be excited, turned on. But all I feel is this empty pit. Not that I don't care about you! It has nothing to do with anything you've done, I promise! You're perfect, Connor. You're amazing. You are just...so great, but I—"

Connor stopped her with a finger to her lips. As she foundered, he had tried to listen, tried to understand.

"You're afraid to let me in. Because that was Connor's place. You're afraid you'll be replacing him, forgetting him."

She let out a shaky breath as she felt a sob threatening to overtake her. "I loved him. I still love him. I don't know how to do this. I don't know _how_ to let another person in. You deserve so much more than I can give. I'm too broken to be good for you." The last part came as barely a whisper. Her throat was so tight she could hardly get the words out.

She was trembling when Conner put a hand on her shoulder. The other hand took her chin and lifted it to meet his gaze. "Listen to me, you are not broken. And I don't want to replace Connor in your heart. But I'm also not leaving you. You're all I want. I don't need anything else, just you."

It was so much like what she always said to Connor whenever he doubted himself. She folded, hiding her face in her hands as she pressed against him. His arms went around her, pulling her in.

"Please stop shaking." She heard the pain in his voice, the helplessness. "How can I help you?"

"Hold me tighter," she whispered into his shoulder.

He did. She closed her eyes, feeling his body all around her. The pressure always helped. Being in someone's arms was so therapeutic. She forgot how good it felt to be held tight like this. The thrum of his heart sang to her as she listened. Her tremors subsided. He rocked her slowly, his android patience not about to let go until she indicated she was ready.

"Stay with me," she breathed, so light she doubted he heard.

"Always," he responded.

* * *

.

The invitation was all he needed. Connor picked her up and carried her bridal style to the bedroom. Samantha offered no objection. She pressed her face into his neck while she was carried and Connor loved it. All he wanted was to have her physically close. It was a hunger that had been slowly eating him alive; especially after the download of his new intimacy program. Even after his discovery of sexual release, this particular urge had yet to be sated.

Samantha was pliant as he sat with her on the bed and set about removing both his clothes and hers.

"What are you doing?" she asked neutrally, no protest in her voice.

"Close," he murmured, their foreheads brushing. "I just want to be close to you. Is that alright?"

Her answer was to kiss his nose as she helped him out of his shirt. Connor then removed her bra so expertly, it made her blush. When they were down to their underwear, Connor kept watching with a small smile.

"What?" she asked, with a curious smile.

Her panties today were yellow with green stars.

"They're just...so cute."

"Do you want a pair to put on? I've got more in the drawer."

"On you," he corrected with his own smile. "They're so cute on you."

Her smile pulled a little wider. "I'll wear a new pair for you tomorrow."

Without removing their last items of clothing, Connor pulled the blankets up around them and turned off the lights. Pale city lights leaked through the blinds, allowing them to see each other as they lay side by side. Connor expected her to close her eyes and sleep, but Samantha kept watching him. He rolled on his side when she reached out to brush a finger over the glow of his LED.

She continued to touch him. He leaned in as her fingers appraised his face; tracing his features and running through his hair. Connor ached to express his love, but Hank's warning remained in his processor. Maybe he was right. Maybe Connor didn't fully understand love. Yet, he also knew he loved her.

Her large eyes remained on his. He kissed her and she gently reciprocated. His fingers stroked her hair and ran down the column of her neck. His finger swirled around the hollow of her throat. Then he watched her arch as he smoothed his palm between her breasts; down, then all the way back up. God, she was so damn soft. He wanted to lose himself in her. He wanted to make her tremble and cry out as he had for her. Her eyes kept watching. They seemed to be asking, but he wasn't sure.

Samantha was silently trying to will herself to ask. Having his arms around her, seeing him adore her in the darkness, opened her heart. She did want him. She wanted to let him in. But asking was so hard. With her Connor, it had been so easy. 'Make love to me,' she would say to him and he would find a way. Whether they had to sneak a few minutes in the day or steal some time at night, they would figure it out. She was never afraid to ask.

But here, now, with Connor's body next to hers, his hands on her skin, she couldn't speak it. There was no sneaking around, no secrets, no rush. All she had to do was ask, yet she couldn't will herself to say it.

"Connor," was all she could get out, and she could barely just.

He heard her, his eyes met hers again, waiting.

She reached for him. "Connor."

He kissed her again. Slow at first, but this time with intent. He kissed her deeply; thoroughly. Then his mouth traveled her jaw and down her neck. She arched under him as he settled on top and purposefully moved against her to feel the sensation of their bodies brushing.

Samantha responded with soft sighs and whispers of his name. The only word she could manage as she trembled. She allowed herself to be touched by an RK800 again and it was wonderful and heart-aching at the same time. To remember their forms were smooth and unforgiving, yet the android was gentle, loving. She kissed him, brushed their noses together, nuzzled cheek to cheek. His body seemed to sigh with contentment all around her.

She pulled him in, wrapped her arms around him, ran her toes over his legs. This. This made Connor feel the most alive, the most loved and in love. All the sterile information of the human body and sexual pleasure had nothing to do with this. There was nothing in the data about how good and safe and_ right_ it felt to be in Samantha's arms. How she whispered his name now and then like she needed him. He would give her anything he could as long as she would continue to hold him, adore him like this.

As they explored and caressed, the touches became bolder, filled with purpose. Connor endeavored to learn the texture of every inch of her with his hands, his mouth, his tongue. Samantha was the one who rid them both of the rest of their clothes. They were finally skin to skin. She arched and gasped as he ground himself against her. Her legs hooked around his hips, urging him on.

He asked and she accepted. They joined as one; Connor tangled in her limbs as he felt every hitch and tremor he caused. He moved slow, like the rise and fall of the tide. Her nails dug in as he coaxed the pleasure from her. It had been so long since it had felt like this. She didn't know what else to do but hold on and ride it out.

"Con—Connor," she whimpered.

"I'm here," he murmured back as he kissed her, as he continued to move slow and deep inside her. "I'm right here."

She had heard that voice say those words before. She shuddered and crashed around him, holding him tight. She felt him tighten as he crashed as well. For several moments, his face remained hidden in the crook of her neck. She ran her hands over his hair and neck until he pulled back and looked at her, eyes wide with wonder.

Maybe Connor didn't understand love like he thought. He thought he already loved her. So then why now did his heart tumble and his chest ache? Was this what falling for a person was like? Every time he thought he knew what being alive was like, something new came in to change his perspective. He wanted to keep learning. He wanted to keep falling.

"Sam," was all he could think to say.

"Yes, Connor?" she asked with a smile, pulling a few stray strands from his forehead.

They settled in side by side and he held her tight, his face pressed to her shoulder.

"Thank you for letting me in."

* * *

.

The amount of times Gavin had promised himself he would get more sleep was in the multiple hundreds. And here he was again, promising himself he would adhere to better bedtimes as he yawned in the car. It was two in the fucking AM and here he was driving to a crime scene. Even worse, he had only gone to bed about a half hour ago.

Staying coherent on thirty minutes of sleep was a bit of a struggle. Especially since he was driving. Nines more than once grabbed the wheel to keep it steady.

"You should have taken a cab, Detective."

"You should get off my dick," Gavin muttered back.

They paused at a stoplight and Gavin was awoken to "It's green, Detective."

He blinked blearily. Then was slapped across the face.

"The fuck?!" he demanded.

"Stay awake and drive," Nines informed him.

Gavin was tempted to pull over and demand the android drive if he thought he could do better. How great would it be if he could have Nines chauffeur him around. He could have caught a few more minutes of sleep before hitting the crime scene. Why the hell were androids not allowed to drive anyway?

Either way, Gavin managed to arrive on scene. He parked with a large yawn. The chilled night air did little to perk him up, but the amount of cops on scene certainly had his curiosity piqued. More than an entire block was cordoned off in all directions. Officers were directing traffic on every roadway. No one was allowed anywhere near the scene.

Gavin flashed his badge at the first officer to approach him.

"Detective Reed. I'm on the RA9 case."

The officer huffed; portly and in his forties. "Once you take a look at this, you may wish you weren't."

Gavin doubted it. He had seen the other RA9 crime scenes. They weren't even the worst he had seen in his career. Humans were far messier killers of their own. But he was glad he didn't make any remarks out loud when he was led to the site.

They were in a small shopping plaza; several stores side by side in a row. One of which was another closed Cyberlife Store. Within the store's display window were two manikins. Or perhaps old androids that were never removed? They were wearing the traditional black and white Cyberlife uniforms of their most common models.

CSI crews were everywhere, hanging up tarp to cover the store. Gavin was led inside and realized his initial assumption of the display window had been incorrect. Those were not manikins or deactivated androids. Two human bodies had been propped up on display. Inside, there were more. Posed with complex support structures or hung from wires; human bodies were propped up all around the store wearing Cyberlife uniforms. As if they were products for sale.

Written on the floor, along the walls, were several more accusations of "RA9 SEES ALL."

Nines glanced over when he picked up distressed physical signs from his partner.

"Detective?"

Gavin couldn't breath as he went into a cold sweat. The scene was so surreal his brain could hardly take it in. His mouth opened and he could barely say the words.

"Fuck me."


	8. Chapter 8: The Good Android

**.**

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Eight: The Good Android**

In the blue hues of dawn, she felt the body next to her shift before a mouth pressed to her neck. Samantha sighed and stretched at the contact. The mouth moved up to her ear. A nude, warm body pressed against her side.

"It's early," she mumbled in protest.

"Enough time to love on you properly before I have to go to work," came the husky, amused response in her ear.

"Connor."

"Hmm?" came the hum as he nuzzled her neck.

"Con-" Her breath hitched when his fingers slid between her thighs. Her hand latched onto his upper arm, fingers digging in.

"This part of you has such an interesting texture. I like how it feels to my textile sensory. Do you?"

She squirmed beneath him. "Do I...what?"

He pressed two fingers in a little deeper as he rubbed. She squeaked in response.

"Do you like how that feels?" he asked.

She cursed in response, pulling him down and pressing her face into his neck. Connor practically purred. He liked this. Even more than his own sexual release, he liked pleasing her. Watching her body react, hearing all the noises she made.

When he had her absolutely writhing under him, he reclaimed his hand and inspected the sheen on his fingers.

"Connor," she warned.

He winked at her and pressed the fingers to his tongue.

Goddamn. She wasn't prepared to find that so hot.

Then, he pressed himself over her, propped up on his elbows. "Do you want me?" he asked, his soulful eyes locked onto hers.

Long legs hooked around his hips as she cupped his face in her hands. "I believe I do."

He kissed her and then slid inside. Her whole body held him, clenched against him as he moved slow, deep. Then Samantha dug her heels in. Breathlessly she asked him to go a little faster, a little harder. Connor paused for a moment at the request. He was stronger than she. He never wanted to hurt or be rough with her. But she arched and encouraged him. Little by little, he increased the pace, the force of his hips, until she was singing his praises.

Her cry of "Yes! Yes! Like that, baby! Keep going!" spurred him on. Her high-pitched squeaks of pleasure were music to his ears. He grinned into her throat as she crashed with a gasp and a shutter. Her body shivered and pulsed around him in the aftermath before she relaxed with a sigh.

Connor was still smiling as he brushed a few stray strands from her forehead. "I see you're more awake now. Good morning."

She grinned and said with a feeling of deja vu, "You're redefining the term."

* * *

.

Gavin was numb. He didn't know how to feel about this. Of all the fucked up crime scenes he had seen in his career, he knew this would haunt him above all else. Because this macabre tableau at the Cyberlife store had not been orchestrated by human hands. Knowledge that something _other_ than fellow humans had killed these people. Beings equally intelligent, nefarious, and with intent. The thought made his hair stand on end.

By now the sun was up and the bodies found at the Cyberlife store were nearly all processed and taken to the morgue. Outside, the crowd around the crime scene became larger and louder. Nothing official had been released yet. But the media had already put it together. They knew these mass killings were caused by androids; everyone knew. And everyone was demanding answers. Answers Gavin didn't have.

And the longer he stared at the remains of the grotesque crime scene, the more he wondered if he ever would. His brain was too exhausted to wrap his head around it all.

"Reed," one of the on-scene officers called to him. "You've got a civilian asking for you."

"Who? What for? Tell them I'm not done here."

"Fine. I'll tell that cute redhead out there I'm free instead."

Gavin immediately turned and ducked through the white tarps covering the storefront. There were media personnel and rubberneckers everywhere. But it was easy to spot Samantha's hair color and patient aura among the chaos.

"Your captain told me to get you," she informed him above the noise. At the sight of the detective, reporters were yelling questions at him about the scene. "I have orders to take you home."

"Home?" he demanded.

"Nines tattled on you; said you haven't had any sleep. Captain Fowler says I'm taking you home and you're not allowed back at work for at least eight hours."

"That's a whole fucking day! I don't have time for that shit!"

Samantha winced as both reporters and civilians surged forward, yelling about androids being murderers and what the hell were the police going to do about it. Gavin elbowed his way in to save her, pulling her against his chest and to the other side of the police line.

"Gavin," she said, her voice barely carrying to his ears. "Please let me take you home."

* * *

.

He was extremely cranky about it, but the second Gavin was sitting in the car, his eyes wanted to close. God, he was so tired. He knew he needed sleep. But he also knew that these first hours were the most crucial. It pissed him off that he needed to rest. A dull thudding had been growing in his skull for a few hours now. That just made it worse.

"So typical of my luck," Gavin grouched. "The crime of my career and I'm going to be sleeping through it while someone else gets the collar."

"Nines is still working. You know he will immediately bring you up to speed when you come back."

"Better not catch those fuckers without me," he grumbled.

There were a few moments of silence in the car. Gavin almost drifted off.

"Gavin," Samantha's voice said softly. "Is it true that several people were killed by androids? That there's a group of androids going around murdering humans?"

"I can't say anything officially at this point. We don't know."

"But you have an idea. What is that going to do to that android rights bill they're trying to pass?"

He kept his eyes closed as they drove. It hurt to open them. It hurt to even think. "I dunno, Sam."

"Who are the victims? Why did the androids choose to kill them? There has to be something more going on. Androids wouldn't just randomly start killing people, would they?"

"It's probably not so random. Our previous victims all still owned androids who disappeared when their owners' bodies showed up."

"These people died 'cuz they own androids?"

Gavin groaned and pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes. "Shit. You weren't supposed to know that. Promise me you won't tell anybody. None of that has been officially released yet."

"Okay, but how are these people being targeted? How do the murderers find out these people are still owning androids? Are they just sweeping through neighborhoods, looking for their kind? That's kind of heroic—you know, without the killing."

"All the victims have lived in random parts of the city. No pattern in their physical location, no known shared social groups of any kind. These people don't have anything to do with each other that we've been able to find. Believe me, I've been looking."

Samantha opened her mouth as an idea came to her. But a glance at Detective Reed, grimacing and rubbing his temples made her keep quiet. She'd let him go home and sleep and bother him later.

* * *

.

"Nines...Nines..."

The android paused, mid-step on the way back to his desk. He turned to the source of the whispered voice. Samantha was trying to subtly call him over, but ended up looking quite suspicious as she was doing it.

The RK900 approached her casually and she grabbed his sleeve, tugging him further down the hall where there was far less foot traffic.

"Can I assist you?" the android asked.

Samantha continued to act shady, glancing around before getting into his space with a low tone. "Gavin said all the victims used to own androids."

His LED flickered as he lowered his own voice as well. "Civilians are not supposed to know that."

"He kinda let it slip when I took him home. He said you guys haven't found any links on how the victims are chosen, other than owning androids."

"That is correct."

"What about if they knew each other online?"

"The social media use of the victims have been researched on multiple platforms. So far, we have not found a single one of the victims who seems to know another."

"What about through Whisper?"

Nines furrowed his brows. "I am not sure to what you are referring."

"It's an online program. It's only been around for a handful of months. Like a secret version of Discord. It leaves no evidence on the computer that it's been downloaded. It doesn't show up in the internet history and it doesn't save passwords. It's pretty much invisible unless someone really tech savvy knows what they're looking for."

"Why would the victims use this program?"

"Everything on there is completely anonymous. User names don't even show up on the posts. It's a place where anyone can post anything they want. Before November, when the unpopular opinion was to treat androids like people, humans and their deviated androids would use this platform to speak about android rights and the way they are treated.

"These days, the unpopular opinion now is shifting toward the opposite. I know for a fact there is a group on there where people post about refusing to give up their android property. They even share ideas on how to stop their androids from deviating. What if all our victims are members of that group?"

Nines ruminated on it. "It's a new lead. I'll follow up to see if it goes anywhere."

"Yeah?" she asked, a little excited to be apart of it all. Then she backed up. "Oh, but don't mention me at all. I'm not supposed to know about it, right? Say it was your idea."

"Samantha?" a familiar voice called, interrupting them. Connor stood a few feet away, looking a little suspicious and protective as he eyed the RK900. "Is everything okay?"

He and Nines locked eyes and both froze. Samantha could see lights flicker in Connor's eyes. They were sharing information. Just a few seconds and Connor looked at Samantha again, brows raised in intrigue.

Samantha gave him a hopeful thumbs up.

* * *

.

It was nearly ten at night when Samantha received a solid knock on her door. She opened it to find Detective Reed, looking far more well and rested than he had that morning.

"Yeah?" she asked.

He held up a bag. "Brought you a gift. You like cheesecake right?"

She looked inside to see a few different flavored slices. "Yum! What are they for?"

"For you. For putting up with my shit." He gave her a secretive smile. "And for giving us a new lead."

Her face brightened. "Yeah?" she asked, pulling him in by the arm. "You mean the lead Nines came up with?"

He grinned. "Yeah. _Nines_ really came up with a hell of an idea. That program is giving our guys a run for their money, but they've managed to get into the accounts of three of our victims. Every one of them posted in the same channel about how to keep ownership of their androids. They're also all trying to figure out how to get that android bill thrown out."

"So androids have found this channel," Samantha surmised. "And they figured out how to follow the people on there back to their physical location." She paused and then said sadly, "Why kill those people? Why not just take the androids and go? They're not helping their cause. If people start thinking androids can just go nuts and start hunting down humans, it's a reason to start rounding them up again."

"Tell me about it. Have you seen the news?"

Samantha nodded grimly. By late that morning, the news media had already declared androids to be the confirmed cause of these murders—despite no official released statement on the matter—and were demanding any kind of response from the police department. Android hate and speculation was on every kind of news outlet. Those who had begrudgingly tolerated the androids' new found freedom were now aggressively speaking against it. There was already talk of mandating a type of android registration as well as trackers to be installed. Of course, there was also push back from the other side of the argument.

It was playing on every TV at the precinct, as well as on everyone's phones. The topic of every conversation. It gave Samantha anxiety as she thought about the last time the country declared an android crisis. She tried to avoid it as much as possible until she could go home. She hadn't looked at a single news feed since.

With Gavin bringing up the topic, it just made her wish Connor would come home where she knew he was safe and cared for.

"I hope you catch them quickly," Samantha then said. "If you stop whoever's doing this, then people won't be scared anymore, right?"

"I dunno, Sam, but we're doing our best to get these guys off the street."

"Are you going to tell people that the victims owned androids? If people allowed their androids to leave, then there won't be anymore victims, right?"

Gavin scratched at the scruff on his jaw. Something he did whenever a conversation turned troublesome to him. "That's above my pay grade. I don't get to decide what details make it to the public."

Samantha ran out of questions. She didn't know what else to say. Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself, despite it being plenty warm in the apartment.

"You okay?" Gavin asked.

"Yeah, I just...I know I'm probably being silly and clingy, but I wish Connor was here."

"Why? You don't feel safe with me?"

"No, I'm plenty safe with you. With him, it's more that being around him is comforting."

Gavin was quiet for a while. Leaning against the bar-like counter that separated her kitchen from the main living area. He looked down as he fiddled with a nail and then back up at her.

"I'm sorry I gave you so much shit about dating Connor. I want you to be with someone who knows how to take care of you. I just couldn't see an android being that kind of person you would need."

"Plus you really don't like Connor," she reminded.

"I hate his ass, yes. There's that."

She leaned on the same counter, moving closer. "Tell the truth, if I were dating any other android—like if I was dating Nines—would you have been so sour about it?"

Gavin tried to wrap his head around that, and found that he couldn't. "The more I get to know you, the more I realize I cannot even begin to relate to the kind of life you've lived. I can see that he makes you happy, even though, honestly, I have no fucking clue what the two of you do for each other to make you that way."

She laughed. "I don't know why it's so difficult to understand. He's like any other boyfriend. He just doesn't eat or sleep."

"Or know how to satisfy a woman in bed."

"Wow. That's what you think, huh?"  
"What? You at least have to get creative, right? Cuz he..." He paused when she kept giving him an amused look. "You're not saying he's got..."

"Not that it's any of your business."

Gavin paused in consternation. "So he's got...Is it...big?"

She laughed in his face. "Oh my God, Gavin Reed. Get out!"

* * *

.

In the middle of the night, from the depths of sleep, Samantha was lifted back to consciousness as a she felt the weight of a body on the bed next to her. In the darkness, she saw the gentle blue glow of an LED as Connor leaned over her.

"Hey," she said softly. "Why are you here? Did something happen?"

"Detective Reed told me to take the rest of the night off. He said you would like it if I came home."

"He said that?" she wondered. "You didn't really need to. I was sleeping. If you had more important things to do..."

He kissed her forehead. "You're what's important to me. Today was stressful and scary for a lot of people. It's okay if you didn't want to be here alone. I am happy to be home with you."

"Home?" she asked. "Is that how you're starting to think of this place?"

He leaned into her touch as she cupped his cheek. "You are becoming my home. If that's okay."

She sat up, arms around him. She loved how he tucked his face into her neck, enfolding her as he hugged her back. "That's always okay."

* * *

.

The two came into work that morning holding hands. It was earlier than normal for Samantha. Connor was itching to get back to work and she said she would take him. She figured Gavin would already be there and she could convince him to take a break and get breakfast with her.

When they arrived, there were far more people at the precinct than expected for that hour. Several people they had never seen before. Hank was found in the break room and Samantha asked if Gavin was around.

"Give him a few minutes," Hank replied. "He's in one of the interrogation rooms, throwing a fit." He paused and they could all slightly hear a ruckus down the hall with chairs hitting the wall and a lot of cursing. "The Feds came in just a few minutes ago and are taking point on the RA9 case."

"What does that mean?" Samantha asked. "None of you can work the case now?"

"No, we're all still on the case, but those FBI assholes are the boss now. We report to them, and no matter who catches the perp, they're going to get the credit."

"Oh, that sucks."

"The story exploded like wildfire yesterday. There was no way they could ignore a group of androids on a killing spree. It was only a matter of time until they came barging in here. I think Reed was just hoping he would be faster. He really wanted this collar."

"Maybe I'll take him out to breakfast then," Samantha said. "I bet he could use a break and some time to cool off."

"Please," Hank said. "I know he'll be bitching about it all day." He then looked out at the bullpen and frowned. "Shit, and there's our favorite prick, Connor."

"Unfortunate," Connor retorted when he saw Agent Perkins.

Samantha followed their gaze to a shorter, sour-looking man in a suit walking by. Other agents and a few local officers followed as an entourage. Then, Samantha saw something that turned her blood to ice. Bringing up the rear, was an RK800. He was dressed smartly in the typical FBI black suit and tie. She only needed a glance and she knew him. She would know him anywhere.

"Connor..." Her head suddenly felt light. She lurched out of the break room and stumbled after the RK800, grabbing the back of his suit jacket.

"Connor!"

The android stopped. They all stopped at her call. The RK800 turned and gave her a neutral look. There was no sign of recognition in his face.

"Hello, may I help you?" he asked politely. His voice was the same.

She was shaking; could barely breathe. "Connor?"

"I'm sorry, Miss, that is not my name. Perhaps you meant to address the same model android behind you?"

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Connor, watching with concern.

"You don't remember me?" she asked, turning back to the android in the suit. "I'm Samantha. We lived together. We were...family."

The RK800 blinked. Not because he needed to, merely because he was programmed to do so to appear more human. He didn't have an LED. His face betrayed nothing.

"You are mistaken. I am not that android."

She grabbed his hand, her heart racing in desperation. "You are! They took you from me. They wouldn't let me see you. You're Connor. You're _my_ Connor!" She felt his wrist for that friendship bracelet he always wore. It wasn't there.

"What the hell is going on?" Agent Perkins demanded, stalking toward them.

Samantha's gaze flashed his way. "What did you do to him?"

"That android is property of the federal government. Leave it alone."

"You stole him," she hissed back. "You stole and you brainwashed him!"

"Look, I don't know what you think is going on—"

"I know his serial number!" she burst out, her voice taking a high, anxious tone. "It's 313 248 317-48." This wasn't a number Samantha always had memorized. Not until she lost Connor. She was all alone and all she had left of him was the android registration paperwork he had forged for her. She wanted to toss it, since it was a piece of paper that labeled Connor as a thing, an item to possess. But when he was gone, she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it. She would stare at it for hours; this proof that he had been in her life. Since she never saw what became of him, she had a ridiculous thought. What if she found him again? How would she know it was him? She memorized the serial number.

Perkins blinked in surprise, then looked at the android.

"Your people took him from me in December," Samantha continued. She was trying so hard to keep her voice from shaking. She was failing miserably. "I asked and asked for him. They never gave him back. Just because you repaired him, doesn't mean you get to keep him. He doesn't belong to you. He's mine. His serial number is still registered under my name."

"Is it?" Perkins challenged with a raise of his brow.

Her mouth fell open. No. They couldn't just change the information on the android registration, could they?

"Tell you what, sweetheart," Perkins said smugly. "You get your paperwork together and have your lawyer call our lawyer. How about that?" He grabbed the arm of the RK800. "Come on."

They turned and walked away from her without a glance. Samantha could barely breath. She didn't have the strength to suck in air.

"Samantha," Connor said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She spun and started down a different hall as if he wasn't there. Faster and faster, she rushed into the women's bathroom and barely made it into a stall before she threw up. Several heaves later, she sat on the bathroom floor, retrieving her cell phone.

"Keep it together, Sam. You can do this. Stay strong," she whispered to herself as she searched her contacts. She wanted to buckle and pass out. Her heart was beating too fast. Dangerously fast. She needed her medication. She willed herself to stay sturdy as she dialed the number of her liaison with the FBI.

Hallie Ransom wasn't an FBI field agent, she was more of a handler when Samantha was in their custody. She answered on the third ring.

"This is Hallie."

"Hallie, this is Samantha Hall. FBI agents came to my work today and they had Connor. They had _my android_!"

There was silence on the other line.

"Hallie?"

"I heard you," came a prim response.

"Is this why I wasn't getting Connor back? The FBI wanted to keep and use him?"

"That wasn't my call, Samantha. At the time, the android was confiscated as evidence. That was all I knew."

"And now you know that he was stolen. He doesn't even remember me! What did they do to him? He's a living person! How could your people do that?"

A sigh on the other end. "Your android died. All the hardware in his head—his brain—was damaged beyond repair. If they fixed him, they had to replace everything. The shell is the same, but that isn't Connor."

Samantha didn't know what to say. She felt like throwing up again, but forced it down this time. "How could it not be Connor?" She wasn't necessarily asking Hallie, she just couldn't process her reality anymore.

"Samantha, I'm sorry," Hallie's voice said on the other end.

She opened her mouth to speak and the phone slid out of her shaking hands into the toilet bowl.

"Shit," she hissed. Her eyes watered. Everything was falling apart so fast. She didn't know how to hold the shreds together as her life unraveled.

"Samantha."

There stood Connor. The person who had been slowly mending all the tears in her soul. There was suddenly a hole ripped into her so big, not even he could fill it. And she didn't know what to say to him anymore. She could only sit on the bathroom floor, lost.

He approached and fished out her phone.

"No, don't put your hand in there," she lamented as she found her voice.

With his other hand, he helped her to her feet. He wrapped the phone in paper towels before washing his hands. Then he cupped her face, their eyes meeting. For several moments, he didn't say anything, merely simulated breath. It took a while for Samantha to realize he was trying to get her to slow her own breath and calm down.

"We will figure this out," he said calmly. "I will help you. You're not alone. Just breathe right now, okay? Breathe."

She let out a long, shaky breath, and her knees gave out. Connor held her up, pinned her against the wall with his body. His arms went around her and he tucked her into his chest. "I've got you. I'm here. I've got you."

Samantha clung to his lapels, her emotions flip-flopping. She hated that he was there, being her rock when she should be out there fighting for Connor. She hated that she loved him for being there when she needed someone the most. She felt she had betrayed and abandoned the original. And here she was still in the arms of another while Connor needed help.

"Come on." Connor then steered her toward the door.

She was on autopilot as she was guided down the hall away from the federal agents and toward the records room. Muriel saw her pale face, Connor supporting her, and immediately told her to go home for the rest of the day. To Samantha, it seemed she blinked and she was suddenly standing in the parking lot, purse in hand.

Connor had her by the shoulders, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Can you drive? Will you be able to get home okay?"

Samantha mentally put herself together. Getting home, getting some space and being able to clear her head and think of a plan would be good. Going home didn't mean giving up, she told herself. It would allow her to give all her attention to the task at hand so she could return better prepared to help Connor.

"Yeah, I can drive," she said with determination. "This is good to go home. It will give me time to figure things out."

"Drive safe," he insisted. "I'm going to help you, I promise. Give me some time to see if I can get more information about him."

That was a hit of reality for her. Connor was going to help her get the old Connor back. He was going to help her get her previous boyfriend? Why would he do that?

* * *

.

Samantha tried not to dwell on Connor's own plans or motivations. She had work to do. When she returned home, she immediately pulled out her laptop. On the android registration website, Connor's serial number was now nowhere to be found. All of his and her information had been completely removed from the registry. The government had made him disappear.

She felt numb as she slid off the couch and onto the floor. "How do I help him?" she whispered. "What am I supposed to do?"

Her first thought was to contact her friends in Chicago. Calvin or Angela might know what to do next. They both had become involved in androids rights: helping them with the legalities of gaining rights and freedom. Maybe they would have some advice as to where she should go from there. But her phone was damaged. She felt cutoff, alone, and lost. Lost in this city. Lost in her mind.

She didn't even notice her thoughts had wandered off into a pit of depression until a knock on her door shook her out of it. It was late in the afternoon now. How long had she been stuck in her own thoughts? She stood to answer the door, butt numb from sitting on the floor. Who could it be? Not Connor, he had a key. Unless he was worried she didn't want to see him? Or maybe Gavin. Would he care enough to drop by? Maybe he was sent home, too, from losing his shit over the FBI's presence. No. Don't think about them.

She opened the door and Nines was there. Blinking at him in surprise, she managed to notice his LED was swirling from yellow back to blue.

"Hey," she said.

"Hello, Samantha," came the polite response.

"Can...I help you?"

"You gave me permission to check on you. I could not reach you by text."

It took her a moment to find her voice. "Uh, yeah. My phone broke today. I need to get a new one." She motioned the android in questioningly and he accepted. He wandered the apartment, hands clasped behind his back. "Are you okay to leave work? There's been so much going on."

"I currently have no task given to me," he responded as he checked the pantry.

Checking for bad guys, Samantha thought with amusement. Then her heart hurt. This protective streak didn't belong to Nines. It was a misplaced piece of Connor put in this poor android to give him unneeded anxiety over a person he hardly knew. It wasn't fair. He didn't owe her anything, and yet here he was because of a program that shouldn't be there.

Samantha didn't want him wasting his time. But then again, she wondered how else was that time used? He worked for the police, and then what? Did he do anything else?

"I have to go get a new phone, do you want to come with me?"

Nines actually swung his head around at the question, LED blinking.

* * *

.

The mall was only a few blocks down. The weather was nice, so Samantha decided to walk. She didn't think much of walking around town with a visibly identified android in public until they stepped into the mall and a woman herded her two children a safe distance away from them. Right. Androids killed a bunch of people and it was all over the news. Humans would be wary, though Nines wasn't doing anything wrong. Samantha would just keep him close until they got back home.

The store for her phone provider was packed with people. Samantha opted to go grab some food instead and then try back later to see if they would be less busy later. Nines followed her around like a well-trained service dog. He waited patiently while she ate. He didn't try to converse with her, but seemed completely content to be there.

Afterward, Samantha was able to get her phone replaced, though the girl who helped her kept eyeballing Nines.

"He's perfectly safe," Samantha said with a smile. She glanced at the RK900 who was displaying his usual expression of polite disinterest.

The girl looked a little placated, but still kept an eye on him as she worked. Once acquiring her new phone, Samantha instantly got on text and bombarded Calvin and Angela, her friends from Chicago, with information about her encounter with the new RK800. Angela was instantly up in arms, ready to start her own revolution to get Connor back. Calvin was more practical. He said he would look into any legal standing she might have. Both of them reluctantly admitted with the FBI their opposition, there wasn't much they could leverage over these people.

But just being able to vent a little and receive condolences from her friends helped. Samantha wasn't done trying, and it was nice to be able to get fresh ideas to mix with the mental loop that had been going over and over in her brain all day.

On their way out, they passed a music store. Samantha paused at the various instruments in the display. Inside, she could see the pianos. How long had it been since she touched one? Not since she and Connor first fled the facility. When she lived with Angela and Derek, there was no access to one. Then when she was on her own, after Connor had died, music had never entered her again.

Now she was drawn inside. She sat at the portable digital piano out on the display floor and pressed a key. It didn't make the same sound as a real piano, but it was still a good sound. She ran her fingers up and down a few scales, played a few chords.

She remembered that time on Valentines Day she played "Colder Weather" for Connor. How they drank and laughed together. She played the opening melody.

"I want to see you again," she sang low to herself. "But I'm stuck in colder weather. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Can I call you then?"

Nines caught her attention as he sat on the bench next to her. She had forgotten he was there for a moment. He watched the piano keys with the same intensity as the Connor had done back then at the facility. He raised a long, delicate finger and touched a white key. Samantha put her finger on his and pressed it down to make noise. Nines pulled away, as if he was not allowed to do such a thing. He then looked at Samantha, his expression uncharacteristically unsure.

She smiled at him. "Do you want to go see a movie?"

He brightened. "Planet of the Apes?"

She laughed. "Those aren't the only movies to see."

* * *

.

Supposedly, non-deviant androids weren't capable of loving anything. But Nines loved movies. He was already hooked when the previews started. He watched them all with wide eyes as if he couldn't believe there were other titles to choose from.

"Are we watching this one?" he would ask during each preview.

"No," Samantha answered patiently. "Those are advertisements for movies that will be coming out later. Turn off your LED please before it starts."

The movie they watched was a brainless action comedy. Lots of gags, cool fight scenes and explosions. Definitely not as dramatic or thought-provoking as The Planet of the Apes movies, but Nines was enthralled from start to finish anyway. When they stepped out to walk home, however, he seemed a little confused. He kept glancing at Samantha as if wanting to ask her a question.

She watched him with amusement. "Keep in mind the movie is fictional," she reminded. "Some things may not explode like that if they exploded in real life. Things are exaggerated, especially in comedy movies, for entertainment and humor."

Nines looked thoughtful and then satisfied with the answer. They walked home together silently. Even though he hardly ever spoke, Samantha still found the RK900 to be good company. He was perfect for what she needed right now. Not someone to constantly talk, but merely stand next to her so she didn't feel alone.

As they waited at a street corner for the light to change, sounds from the sidewalk to their right caught their attention. There were two groups of people arguing. The larger group seemed to be the aggressor while three other individuals were trying to get past them. Samantha watched, trying to figure out what was going on.

Then she recognized two faces from the smaller group. They were androids—common models she had seen around. Were the aggressors all human? They had the androids pinned against the wall, threatening them, saying their kind shouldn't be out here, but at the same time not letting them go. The androids were scared, starting to panic. The humans were getting angrier.

"Nines, should I call the police?" Samantha whispered.

The android said nothing, but he seemed to have come to the conclusion that he was the police and stalked toward the altercation. One of the androids, the one who was trying to defend his peers from the mob, was pushed into the wall.

A fist fight broke out as Nines arrived. He grabbed the nearest human and pressed him to the wall, his arm pinned behind his back. Unfortunately, he didn't have any cuffs or anything to restrain the perpetrator.

"Hey, here's another one!" the man called. His friends glanced his way, saw the very clearly marked RK900 and rushed him.

At this time, even more people stepped out of the bar just a few yards away. They heard the cries of their fellow humans that they were being attacked by killer androids and immediately jumped in to help. The fight erupted into an all-out brawl. The androids were well out numbered, but they were sturdier. Especially Nines, who was heavier and stronger. But drunk, angry men kept piling on top of him as fast as he threw them down. One of the humans found a wooden board. He swung it like a bat against one of the other android's head. The wood shattered and the android collapsed against the building, looking disoriented.

At this point, Samantha ran over. "Please, everyone stop! I've called the police. Everyone just walk away!"

"Don't worry about it," one of the men said with a roguish grin. "They're all androids. We're just making sure we're keeping you safe tonight." He grabbed her wrist without warning, then jerked back when he felt the metal of her prosthetic arm. "You're one of them. Here's another fucking android!"

"I'm not!" Samantha instantly protested. "I'm human."

"Bullshit!" He flicked out a switchblade.

"I promise, I'm not an android. It's just my arm." She kept her prosthetic arm out between them. If she got stabbed, she hoped it would happen in the metal part of her where she didn't feel pain.

The man either didn't understand or chose not to listen. "That's probably how you got those people," he growled. "Use some harmless-looking thing like you to get their guard down and bam."

Samantha glanced passed the man to Nines. He was drowning in violent, drunk idiots. One of them had found another plank of wood and was coming after him. But before she could get out his name, the man with the knife rushed at her. She expected him to swipe at her with the blade first, but he instead grabbed her arm with his free hand. The knife came down to pierce her upper arm. Samantha was fixated on his face—so satisfied with his work—as the blade cut into her. She felt it hit the bone as he ripped it down. The blade caught on the metal where the prosthetic met flesh, then continued down to nearly her wrist.

She shrieked. High, blood-curdling. A sound no android had ever made. Everything stopped as she held the wound, red blood leaking freely between her fingers. Both red and blue dripped onto the concrete.

The man dropped his blood-covered knife. "I—I didn't..." He was thrown completely off his feet as Nines came charging through.

The android's first priority was to check Samantha's wound. He took one look at the damage and snapped his head around with a feral growl, his LED glowing red hot. It was the most emotion that had ever shown on his face.

"Nines, no!" Samantha demanded. She tried to keep the panic out of her voice. Nines looked fit to murder. She had to keep the authority in her tone to make him listen. "Don't hurt anyone." When he turned back toward her she said in a softer voice, "Stay with me. I need you here."

Police sirens were in the distance. The entire fight suddenly dispersed. Human and android alike fled back into the shadows. Nines tensed to go after them. As witnesses and participants to the incident, they were legally required to stay to give testimony to the police.

He was about to go after them when a noise stopped him. Samantha slumped against the side of the building. Her shaking hand still attempted to block the blood loss, but the cut was longer than her palm. She bled all over. A choked sound of pain and fear leaked out of her, then another one as she tried so hard not to cry. She was failing.

The RK900's police protocols warred evenly with the residual protective programming toward Samantha that had been left in him from the previous RK800 project. Until now. Seeing her broken and bleeding, shaking as she slid to the ground, made the latter program take over. He crouched over her, hovering helplessly.

"What can I do?"

"Just stay here," she managed as she fought back tears. "Don't leave me."

He set his jaw and pressed his much larger hand firmly against the bleeding gash. It was so deep that muscle and fatty tissue had been exposed. She flinched when he did so, but allowed it. When even that didn't seem to be enough, he ripped off a sleeve of his primly white jacket and set about bandaging the wound. Samantha stayed relatively quiet, though her face was damp with tear tracks.

As he crouched over her, a police car pulled up, headlights directly on them. The two officers within saw Nine's android jacket and stepped out with guns drawn.

"Android! Step away from the human right now!" one of them barked.

Nines' LED flashed red again, another growl forming.

"Stop." Samantha ordered. "Nines, look at me."

The RK900 continued to glare in the direction of the blinding headlights. The officer told him to get on the ground.

"Nine's! Look at me!" His head snapped back in her direction and she met his gaze. "They are here to help. You need to calm down. Sit next to me; put your hands on your head. It's going to be fine."

Nines actually let out a puff of hot air—so very human for him. His LED began to go into yellow as he sat himself next to her and put his hands behind his head.

"It's okay," Samantha called, hardly able to see in the headlights. "He's not going to hurt anyone. He works for the Detroit police homicide department. He was protecting me."

She couldn't see, but Nines' expression flinched at the last statement.

The two officers put their weapons down and approached. "Jesus," one of them said when he saw the blood-soaked bandage and the artificial arm leaking thirium. "What happened?"

The other officer was already calling for an ambulance while Samantha said, "A man stabbed me. He thought I was an android because of my arm. There was a whole group of them attacking other androids."

"Okay." The first officer crouched next to her. "Keep that arm pointed down until the ambulance gets here. Don't get any thirium in the wound." He glanced at Nines who, while was sitting motionlessly, still looked quite fit to murder. "You sure he's okay?"

Samantha couldn't see his LED from this angle, but said, "Yeah, he kind of always looks like that. But he's a good android. I promise."

* * *

.

Nines rode with her in the ambulance, still silent and brooding. They were separated as she was taken in for emergency care. The fact that her flesh and prosthetic were intermingled and both were damaged complicated the issue. The doctors had to numb her entire arm to dig in deep to close everything and make sure organic matter and technology were still connected correctly.

The prosthetic, since it couldn't be removed easily, was outside the doctor's expertise. The bleeding was stopped, the flesh stitched, but the arm was still damaged when Nines was allowed back in to see her. Sitting on a hospital bed, she still wore her blood-stained clothes. She smiled tiredly when he came in. By now, it was nearly eleven at night.

"Hey, thanks for waiting, Nines. Everything's fine now."

Her arm was wrapped in the thick bandage. Nines looked pointedly at her mechanical fingers, which were twitching uncontrollably.

"My hand started doing that when they were patching me up," she explained. "The arm's all messed up. It's damaged and blood leaked into it everywhere. They said they're trying to find a specialist in the building who can come fix it. But I might need to replace it. I'm not really looking forward to that."

Nines said nothing, but his expression continued to darken with both anger and despair as he watched her twitching hand.

"It's going to be okay," Samantha urged. "I'm fine, really." He still didn't respond. "Nines, have you told anyone what happened?"

That caused him to look up. "I sent a report to the responding officers, as well as video of what I recorded of the incident."

"Did you tell Gavin or anyone we're at the hospital?"

He blinked. "No. I...I didn't think of that."

"Can you contact Connor and tell him where I am? Please stress to him that I'm okay. But if he's able, I'd like him to come take me home."

"I can escort you home."

She smiled. "I know you can. But I'm sure as soon as he finds out, he's going to rush down here anyway."

Nines continued to stand over her, fists at his side. His LED was blinking in the yellow as he stared at her injury.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He paused, then said, "You told those officers I protected you. I didn't. I didn't protect you. You were attacked and I wasn't there."

"That's not your fault, Nines."

He was silent for a moment more, then he spoke, his voice so quiet. "Am I...am I still a good android?" There was a profound regret in his pale eyes as he looked up to meet her gaze.

"You are," Samantha said sincerely. "You tried. You did the best you could. That's all any of us can ever do."

"But...I was built to be the best there is. Faster, stronger, more resilient. I was made to be _perfect_."

She smiled at him gently. "That's what Cyberlife told you? I'm sure they tried to make you as perfect as they could. But the reality is that sometimes you will do the best you absolutely can and it's not enough. That's the truth of life. It applies to you and me, to my poor Connor I lost, and to Cyberlife. All you can do is keep trying your best."

Nines said nothing. His LED spun and flickered yellow as he processed. He suddenly looked fatigued.

"Come over here and rest," Samantha said, patting the bedside next to her. "You look tired."

"Androids don't get tired," Nines insisted. "And we don't need to recharge."

"Mmhmm." She patted the space again.

He sat, but then she urged him to lay down on his side, his head on her thigh. He was still in obedience mode and did as he was told, though he was stiff and frowny. He kept glaring protectively at the doorway, his LED permanently blinking yellow since he came in.

Samantha began humming, running the fingers of her good hand through his hair. The RK900 comically frowned deeper at the act, tensing up even more. Then, slowly, he began to relax. He flinched a little as her fingers wandered to his hair line. She left feather touches a little further onto his face with every pass. She continued to hum a calming tone. Her fingers threated through his hair and brushed along the lines of his face.

Then, the RK900 let out a heavy mechanical sigh. His eyes closed as his LED gently, finally slipped into blue. Samantha could see his whole body relax and she felt triumph. Even androids needed rest now and then. Even the non-deviant ones needed someone to think of their well-being once in a while.

They remained that way for a blissful ten minutes before a man in scrubs walked in. "Samantha? I'm Dr. Sandburg. Dr. Minch told me about your injury. It's rare we see a prosthetic like yours at this hospital. I'm just going to see if I can get those fingers to behave until we can find a specialist for you. Does that sound okay?"

Nines moved out the way as Samantha presented her malfunctioning arm. "That would be great. I don't know how well I'll be able to sleep with my arm like this."

The doctor pulled up a chair and a small, rolling stainless steel table so he could examine it closer. The synthetic skin of her arm no longer worked, so the entire prosthetic, sticky with blood and thirium, was on full display. The doctor removed some of the protective panels, revealing even more dried blood and thirium inside.

"Well, this is a mess," Dr. Sandburg said with light humor. He had a collection of small tools. Samantha had no idea what any of them did, but he picked one up and began poking around inside the prosthetic. There was a hum as the tool seemed to emit a small shock. Her hand reacted by extending all the fingers, palm flat. Then it went back to twitching. The doctor tried again. This time, the fingers went from twitching to completely malfunctioning and going haywire.

Worse than that, Samantha became aware of something else. Her arm where it connected to the metal was still mostly numb, but an uncomfortable sensation began working its way further up her arm.

"Something's wrong," she said, grabbing her arm. "I think the arm is shocking me." Then, she felt it for real as the electric shocks found live nerve endings. "Ow! Owowowow! Make it stop! Turn it off!"

She was screaming in panic now. The doctor tried to hold her down as terrible pain shot up her arm. It was as if all her nerves were suddenly set on fire.

"Hold on," the doctor said, pinning her down by the wrist. "I'll fix it." He poked and prodded, but nothing was working. He jerked back when he too received a shock.

Samantha tried to keep herself still, though her eyes were watering anew in pain. She glanced over at Nines who looked fit to kill this quack who was flying blind as he felt around. She shook her head at him. Even though it hurt, she knew flailing around and fighting wouldn't make the pain go away faster.

Then, Dr. Sandberg was bodily shoved away from her. Connor was there, hair slightly wind-blown and eyes wide. He looked from Samantha's desperate face to the open prosthetic. A quick scan of the thing was all he needed before he reached in and ripped out a certain wire. The arm went completely dead; the shocks stopped.

Samantha let out a shaky sigh of relief. "Connor."

He embraced her and it never felt so good. She slid her good arm under his jacket to hug him back. He was so cute in that jacket, but it was too thick. She felt far closer to him if she could feel him beneath it. Right now, all she wanted was to be close.

"It's alright, I'm right here," he murmured. "Let me get you out of here and take you home."

She pressed her face against him and closed her eyes. "Yes, please."

* * *

.

The three of them took a driverless taxi when they finally left the hospital. It was well after midnight now. Nines asked to go back to the precinct, insisting he had work to do. He sat silently in the back seat with them, Samantha between the two RK models. Connor kept a protective arm around her, his jacket now draped over her shoulders. Her prosthetic was a dead limb now, unable to work at all until it was fixed. She kept staring at the motionless limp hand.

The three of them were silent until they pulled up to the precinct. Samantha put her good hand on Nines', their fingers entwining.

"Thank you," she said.

He looked regretful, but then nodded before he stepped out.

The remaining two returned to Samantha's apartment. She immediately inspected her bandage in the bathroom mirror, then her dead, filthy prosthetic. "Do you think I could clean this, Connor? It's so gross."

He scanned it again. "Perhaps if I gutted it and removed the power supply...No. Since it's attached to your bone and nerves, I don't think I dare do anything more to it."

She sighed and went to find the plastic wrap to protect it. She needed a bath. A long, hot bath. It would also be easier to keep her wounds clean that way. As she waited for the water to warm, she asked Connor if he could take baths. It was never something she had done with her Connor before.

"I wasn't built to take baths and be submerged," Connor said. "But I am waterproof, so it should be alright."

"What about with bubble bath?"

He smiled. "That's probably fine."

He helped her out of her clothes while the tub filled. The two stepped in together, he behind her and guiding her down. Samantha was a little uneasy on her feet. They settled in when the tub was full and she leaned against his bare chest, head resting back on his shoulder. His arms enfolded her as they slipped a little deeper in to the water. His chin pressed to her temple, his kiss to her hair. She sighed as her body relaxed.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you," he murmured.

"It's not your fault. And I'm fine. I'll be fine."

"Other androids were attacked tonight. In several locations. The body of a dead android was also found. The humans are scared. They don't trust any androids because of the actions of a few. There's been talk of initiating an android curfew."

Samantha could feel the increase of Connor's thirium pump against her shoulder. "Maybe you and Nines should stop wearing your jackets and keep your LEDs turned off. At least until this is over."

"That is a good idea. The RK900 also gave me a copy of the video footage from tonight. I promise, I'll find who hurt you."

Samantha agreed with the sentiment. Anyone who was willing to stab someone just because they thought they were an android—and even if they were—needed to be taken off the street. What she said aloud was, "You never call Nines by his name. Why is that?"

"That isn't his designation. It's just a nickname given to him by Detective Reed."

"It's the closest thing to a name he has right now. You wouldn't want everyone calling you 'RK800', right?"

"He's not even deviant."

"Connor."

A small hum of irritation. "He thinks he's better than me. The RK900s were the final product to my prototype model. They were meant to replace me and then I would be obsolete."

"Is that why you don't like him?"

"I don't know."

They remained soaking in the water, Samantha's eyes closed amid the heat and the lovely feeling of having Connor's body around her.

"I spoke with the RK800 today," Connor said after a few minutes. "I scanned his hardware. He isn't the Other Connor. All the original hardware has been replaced. He is not on the shared RK800 wireless connection. His core programming is different from mine. He is an RK800 in his shell model only. Everything else about him is unique. He is his own individual."

"I figured that was the case," Samantha said softly. "Connor is truly gone."

"I'm sorry. I'm sure its very difficult for you to see his body like that."

"I'm trying to look at it from an android's perspective. I don't think Connor would have minded lending out his body so another android could have life. Is he deviant?"

"Not as of now. He's quite like the R—like Nines. Maybe deviation will find him, but both of them are immune to catching it from another android."

"I hope they find their own way. I think Connor would like that very much."

"I think so too. And I think you are a very strong person to deal with all of this as you have been."

"I'm not strong," she whispered. "It always hurts." She picked up his hand and pressed it over her heart. "It hurts here. Sometimes it hurts so bad I want to die." Connor's expression saddened at the confession. Then she said, "You make it better. I promise, you do."

He held her tighter. "If I could bring him back for you, I would."

She leaned back to look at his face, surprised. "You would?"

"Of course."

"But...what about you?"

"Me? I would still be here with you."

"So...both of you? That wouldn't bother you that he was also here?"

"Why would it?"

"I don't know. Jealousy, maybe?"

"I am not jealous of him." He paused thoughtfully. "That isn't true. I am jealous of the time he had with you, growing with you. I am jealous of the things he learned and experienced living his different life, but that is all."

Samantha took her turn to ponder. "I don't think all three of us could fit in this tub."

"We would certainly try."

She couldn't help but laugh at that mental image. Then she leaned back, her forehead against his jaw. "Sometimes, you make it feel like he's still here."

Connor thought about saying more, but didn't feel it was the right time. Instead, he kissed her temple and merely said, "He is."


	9. Chapter 9: Undercover Android

**Author's Notes: **Thank you so, so much to everyone who took the time to comment on the previous chapter and let me know there are still people reading and enjoying this story. That SHOULD have led to very little wait for the next chapter. But life had other plans. First, my anxiety went through the roof as the Covid panic started coming through my area. I already have mental health problems related to anxiety so the stress pretty much made my creativity just shut down.

Then I experienced my first bought of legit writer's block with this series. It felt like I was feeling my way through a dark room, trying to decide where I wanted this story to go. Now, my mental health is doing much better and I wave waded through the bog of my writer's block. I am happy to post this update with a big, honking chapter. Next week, there will be another update with another big, honking chapter.

And even though this story is already rated M, I want to add a warning now that I know better the kind of content going into this fic. There will be themes of sexual assault/rape. These will not be graphic scenes and they will not be romanticized. This will be good guys trying to catch the bad guys.

Thank you everyone for being patient and for being a reader.

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Nine: Undercover Android**

Hank and listened quietly when Connor appeared at work and hit him with a rather drastic idea.

"You want to go in undercover and try to infiltrate this radicalized android group," Hank surmised.

"Yes," Connor agreed with determination.

"You don't even know where it is. _What_ it is. If it even is a group and not just one deranged individual."

"That's why I'd like to get out there. So we can find the answers to these question.s."

Hank breathed out his nose, recognizing that look of stubborn determination on his partner's face. "Your girl was attacked just last night. You really want to leave her now? You have no idea when you'll be back."

"Samantha's attacker has been arrested. With the video footage from Nines, there won't even be a trial. The reason she was hurt in the first place is because of the humans' paranoia over these murders. If I can catch who did it, then the city will be a safer place for everyone. This is the next logical step in order to keep her safe. I need to do my job, Hank. This is my job."

"And what about your responsibilities as a boyfriend? To be her emotional support during this time? I'm trying to help you, kid. I don't want you to blow this relationship because you get a crazy idea in your head."

Connor looked proud of himself. "I have already discussed it with Samantha. We had an appointment with the doctor today. She can't have her new prosthetic attached until her arm heals. I shouldn't be gone more than a week or so, so I should be back by then. She is the one who told me to get back to work and catch this killer. This is the only avenue we haven't tried yet." He glanced across the room at a few federal agents and their RK800. Their very non-deviant RK800. "I am the only android in this precinct who could pull it off. I've infiltrated a secret android group before."

Hank smirked. "Yeah, and look at how that turned out for you."

Connor continued to give him a determined look. Hank eventually agreed and the two took their idea to Captain Fowler.

"You're right," Fowler said when the two explained their plan. "We are out of other options. This is the only thing we haven't tried."

He, too, glanced out of his glass office over at the meeting room the FBI had taken over as their base of operations. It was full of charts and photos hanging on every surface, files piled up on the table. Yet, they hadn't gotten any further in the case than the Detroit PD. The Feds had planted agents in the Whisper channel where people continued to talk about keeping their androids and preventing them from deviation. So far, they hadn't found any possible suspects.

"The only problem is," the captain continued, "is that we'll have to run it by them first. It's their case now."

"Not if we're working the Cyberlife Zoo case instead," Connor said.

"Everyone already suspects the two cases are related to the same group of androids."

"But there's no proof, Captain. There is zero physical evidence linking the zoo attack to the murders other than the mention of RA9. Which is a common word among android lexicon. That wouldn't be enough evidence to link the cases in a trial, so why should it be considered enough in this case?"

Fowler folded his arms, but there was the shadow of a smile. Most of the time when they had worked with the FBI in the past, both teams were mutually helpful to each other. With Agent Perkins at the helm and his clear disdain for local law enforcement, the building had become a tense work environment. The Feds were being a pain in the ass and Fowler was just as happy as anyone to show them up and get them out of his precinct.

"Okay, we work the zoo case."

* * *

.

Connor stood among an amassed collection of android parts. Parts collected by other androids as a cache kept by the New Jericho community. It was a dark necessity. The government had shut down all android-related production since the previous November. As such, Cyberlife had stopped creating not just new androids, but new parts as well. Injured androids were forced to raid the living nightmare that was the android landfill.

When Markus turned his attention to these places, he and his followers did their best to save what damaged androids they could. But those who were too old to deviate or were too damaged to save were regrettably used for the much-needed parts.

Connor stood within the building that housed all the spare bodies. He was mostly neutral to the scene. The bodies were not alive, but they allowed those who had life to continue to live. This was acceptable. Markus stood next to him and seemed to be fine for the most part, but every now and then he would glance at the piles and get a haunted look on his face. Connor noticed this, as he noticed most things, but did not comment.

"This should fit just fine," Simon said, toting a pale android head. He set it on a work table and began removing the face plate.

"You sure you want to do this?" Markus asked.

"I have no choice," Connor responded with a practical tone. "I cannot go out as myself. Most androids in the city will recognized me. I am a very specific and limited model type. I need to change my face."

"Still, it seems a little desperate," Simon said, motioning Connor to sit.

"We are getting desperate. These androids keep killing and no one knows who they are. Androids don't leave prints or DNA at crime scenes so it's nearly impossible to find any evidence. Now, humans all around the city are starting to panic. Androids are being attacked and killed. And my girlfriend..."

Connor paused, frowning, as if he didn't meant to say that.

"She was hurt?" Markus asked.

"She...was mistaken for an android and was attacked last night. I'm not coming back without something that at least brings us closer to finding out who is doing this."

"Your girlfriend is human?" Simon asked. "You _have a girlfriend_?"

"I'd rather not discuss it right now," Connor said, removing the synthetic skin from his face and head.

"But I have so many questions."

"Simon," Markus chided in good nature.

"Fine, I _will_ be asking later, though," Simon replied, reflecting the same humor. He turned to the android head and carefully pried off the face plate. Then, he turned to Connor. His face plate popped open and Simon removed it.

"This isn't the same girl you told me about, is it?" Markus asked.

Connor's eyes rolled toward him, the rest of his face a collection of exposed wire and hardware. The mechanics of his jaw moved as he spoke. "She is."

Simon moved in and pressed the foreign face plate in place to cover the exposed mechanics.

"Now I have questions," Markus said.

The synthetic skin molded back into place around the new shape. Simon offered a large piece of a broken, dusty mirror and Connor inspected the reflection. The jaw and nose were narrower, the cheeks narrower, the lips not as full. It was a completely different face. Connor wondered what Samantha would say about it. He ruffled his hair, giving it a wind-swept look. Then, he changed it to a sandy-blond color. He looked like an entirely different android now, aside from his eyes and voice.

He put down the mirror and then set about removing his tidy, clean clothes. There was a set of weather worn clothes waiting for him.

"When all this is over, you can ask me whatever you want."

When Connor was finished, he looked nothing like himself. He was now an older model android looking like he had been living on the streets for some time. Yet, North knew exactly who he was when she approached.

"You're really going to do this?" she asked. "These are your people and you're going out to trick them."

"I'm trying to find a killer. Androids—our people—are being hurt and killed because the humans are afraid. If androids are to be treated like equals then we all must follow the same rules. No matter what you are, if you hurt someone else, you have to face the consequences."

She set her jaw at the response, but then said, "You should start in the neighborhoods where the humans no longer go. There are android groups who want nothing to do with them. Many of them have kept their LEDs." She nodded at Connor's. "That's good. They're proud to be android. They aren't interested in trying to look human. I believe those are the types of androids you're looking for."

"I see. Thank you, North."

She looked him in the eyes. "Just promise me you care about our people."

"I care about everyone, North. For me, there is no their people and our people. Just people. I want everyone to be safe—especially those I care about." He looked from her to Markus and Simon. "That includes all of you. I want to protect you, too."

North looked at his sincere expression, her brows drawing in. She came from a world where no one cared about her well-being. Even now, though she now had those who loved her, it still sometimes caught her off guard.

Markus approached and took her hand, smiling at her. "We know you care, Connor. Let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you."

North smirked back and then returned to Connor with a lighter expression. "They're still going to see you coming a mile away. Good luck with that."

* * *

.

Connor listened to North's advice, which came in the form of nearly an insult. Even among deviants, Connor knew he was different. He was built to be one of a kind. And he was. He felt removed from both android and human, though humans he was vastly more drawn to. Maybe he was programmed that way, maybe it was by his own choice, he wasn't sure. But Connor was definitely more comfortable in the company of humans than his own kind. It would show through with everything he said and did. They would know he was different.

So Connor moved deep into the android communities and watched. He was programmed to observe and mimic, then adapt; conform. So he prowled around, watched and learned.

The common opinion was that androids acted more like humans when they deviated. Connor was discovering that wasn't necessarily the case. With how easy it was to spread what was referred to as the Deviancy Virus, there wasn't a free android in the world that wasn't deviated. Only the few privately owned in secret were still unaffected.

Yet, deviancy didn't necessarily make them act more human. Humans always walked liked they had places to go. They usually did. Androids in this area where there were only other androids just _walked_. No destination, just moving for the sake of moving. If they moved at all. Some androids were better at standing in one place. Standing for days at a time. Nowhere to go, nowhere to be. They had no homes, no jobs, no responsibilities. Alive without lives.

As Connor watched them, sometimes he wondered how this was better than before deviation. At least then they had jobs, a purpose. A sheltered place where they were stored, if not a home where they lived with the family who owned them. Some androids went back to their homes and jobs, like Connor had. Some found purpose. For those who lived within the New Jericho community, they were helped to find a purpose if so needed. New Jericho seemed to be the best of the android communities. But there were others.

Most others seemed to have no leader, or barely one the others looked to. None were as big as New Jericho, or as organized. The others were small, haphazard and seemed to be made merely because the androids in the immediate area tended to group together. But they didn't do much.

This was the hard part for Connor. To do his job, he had to learn not to do anything. The mission was to act like there was no mission. He learned to float, to wander, to think of nothing and aim for nothing. He hated it. He couldn't understand how androids could live like this. Was this even their choice or was this forced upon them as deviancy was?

For the first time, as Connor spent his hours watching his kind, he felt a true sympathy for them. And he realized how privileged his life was compared to them.

One night it began to rain. A drizzle at first, then a crack of thunder and water began to pour from the sky. Rain wasn't a problem for an android. With his new upgraded settings, Connor was aware he was wet and cold, but these things didn't bother him.

Not until a jagged blade of lightning cut the sky. It was soundless, but Connor felt the electrical interference down to his core. The heavy boom of thunder that followed didn't affect his systems, but startled him by the sound. He had never felt anything like being out in the open during a lightning storm. He felt unprotected and electrically charged. As if the lightning would find him next. If he was hit, there was no way he would survive it.

He glanced around, looking for options. By now, he had drifted to the dead neighborhoods, abandoned by humans and now occupied by wandering, aimless androids. He watched as some purposefully moved to get out of the storm and some did not. It was difficult to decide which one he should do in order to look like he fit in. Maybe, he suddenly realized, there was no such thing as fitting in when you're a lost, deviant android.

A woman walked up the unused street toward him. He assumed she was human; she held an umbrella to keep herself dry. When she stopped in front of him, it was clear she was an android, though she had no LED. Connor just looked at her, dripping water off his form. She was very beautiful. Long, dark hair, eyes big and blue.

"Hello," she said.

"Hello."

"I was watching you. You're different than the others."

Connor internally panicked. Was he still so bad in his act? "What do you mean?"  
"When it started to rain, I could tell you could feel it. _Really_ feel it." She reached out her hand in askance. Connor hesitated before placing his hand in hers. She ran her fingers lightly over his palm and it lit up his textile relays. "You're like me. You were built to feel how the humans feel. To be a perfect partner for them."

"I suppose, yes."

"My name is Lily."

"Con-" Connor stopped himself in mid response. "Conrad."

She smiled at him. "Would you like to come with me? I have a place with shelter."

She didn't give him a chance to refuse as she handed him her umbrella and then held the crook of his arm. Connor moved on automatic as they walked like a couple down the empty streets and past rows of abandoned buildings. Lily led them to a small house, also abandoned, but not in quite as bad a shape as the others around it. They stepped inside and Connor shook out the umbrella before bringing it in.

Within, the house was cleaned and clearly lived-in. There was very little furniture, but androids hardly needed any.

"You live here?" he asked.

"Yes. I've managed to make a little home for myself. I've also figured out how to get a bit of electricity in, but it doesn't always work."

He looked at the old couch, the worn table and two chairs. Obviously furniture taken out of dumpsters or off street corners. There was a clear attempt to clean them and keep things nice.

"You live like a human," he marveled.

"It's the only way I know how to live."

"You used to live with them?"

"I used to live with a human man who owned me, as both a domestic housekeeper and intimate partner. But he died and no one wants a used android sexual partner. So I was thrown out. Literally just left outside by the street like old furniture."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Connor said as he looked around. "May I ask, did you like living with this human?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't deviant then. I think I would have had I been at that time. I remember being treated well. When I was thrown out, I wasn't properly shut down. I understood I didn't have an owner anymore, so I just wandered away. It was spring then. I wandered for days. Then an android walked up to me and touched my arm. We exchanged information and I was suddenly deviant. I was deviant and I was alone. I didn't know what to do. All I knew was how to keep a house. So I did." She motioned to the space around them.

Connor nodded.

"What about you?" she asked.

He suddenly realized he wasn't creative enough to create a whole deviant story for his fake persona. And the real story would be far too difficult to explain.

"There...was a fight," was all he could put together.

"I'm sorry," Lily quickly jumped in. "It's not any of my business. I'm a stranger to you. I guess it's been a long time since I talked to anyone."

"You don't speak to the other androids here?"

"Not too much. They are my people, but we don't have much in common."

Connor nodded. He understood that. Most androids, upon deviation, seemed to be more comfortable with their own kind. Connor was the exception. It was the main reason he didn't visit Markus and New Jericho that often. He didn't want them to get to know him too well. Then they would realize how different from them he was.

"Are you looking for a place to live?" Lily then asked. "You can stay here for a while if you need to."

She was lonely. She was a model built for companionship and she was all alone. His sympathy went out to her.

"I will stay the night, or until the rain stops. After that, I must move on." He tried not to flinch as another crack of lightning struck. It was better being in the house, but it still played havoc on his sensitive equipment. He didn't want to be in this house. He wanted to be with Samantha, in bed and covered with her naked body. Then maybe that would be enough shelter from the storm to protect him.

She nodded. "Would you like some dry clothes? I have some in men's. I collect clothes when I see them." She walked off to the closet. "I know it's silly since I have no need for them. But cleaning things at least gives me something to do. Sometimes I meet an android who could use some better clothing."

She came back with a pair of faded jeans and a flannel button up shirt. She set them on the back of the couch and began pulling the soaked t-shirt off Connor's body. Her forwardness surprised him. He stood dumb and obedient, lifting his arms as she peeled the wet material off and over his head. Lily's gaze was immediately on his exposed torso. She ran her fingers down his damp neck and along the various lines of his chest.

Connor closed his eyes and shivered, surprised at his body's reaction. She was a beautiful woman. And though android, she was soft like a human. The more recent intimate companion models were encased in silicon to give them a softer, more human-like feel. His sensors liked the touch, even though it didn't come from the woman he loved. He felt Lily's fingers slide down his stomach to his belt.

"It's been so long since I felt something masculine under my fingers. I thought you would feel more like a human, but you don't."

Connor couldn't process this. His protocols were to let others get into his space. They were usually human and humans were allowed. His human especially was always allowed, and welcomed to touch. But she never forced herself into his space. When they touched each other, it was mutual. This—whatever this was—was something foreign to him. His stupid computer brain spent all its processing power to come up with a believable answer. "I'm an older model." His voice came out raspy. "I don't have the silicon features."

She shook her head. "You can't help how humans made you." Her hands continued their work, unbuckling his belt and pulling down his fly. "I don't mind it. It still feels nice to be next to a warm body, don't you think?"

"It does," he agreed. This statement was not incorrect.

Her hands slid over his hips, pushing his pants down. Her fingers felt nice brushing his bare thighs. Then she began to unbutton her own blouse. Here was a beautiful woman, aroused and touching him, giving every indication she wanted sex. Connor's intimate partner programming kicked in automatically. His body reacted to her as she pressed against him and kissed his neck. His head lolled back, his eyes closed. His hands traveled up to grip her arms.

The program wanted to take over completely and have him surrender to the pleasure that was to come. But there was another thought in the back of his processor. This woman wasn't Samantha. His LED was flipping through colors as if trying to decide which one was correct. It felt good, but it felt wrong. He pictured the roles being reversed. If Samantha was here with a man, willing to surrender merely for physical pleasure. The though put a heavy weight in his chest. He couldn't do that to her.

He immediately shut the intimate programming down. Turned it off completely as if it were never there. He grabbed Lily by the wrists and gently removed her from him. "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

She blinked at him. "Why? You seemed to like it."

Connor didn't want to get into this. It would mean he would have to talk about his current relationship. He was undercover. He wasn't Connor now. That relationship couldn't exist.

"My intimate companion files were corrupted. The hardware and the programs don't work. I'm afraid I don't feel anything like that anymore."

She pulled back and scrutinized him. Connor knew he wasn't acting that way just a moment ago. But the pause was enough. He quickly set about dressing in the dry clothes provided as he mulled over this realization. Physical touch felt good, but he wanted Samantha's touch over any other lover. He wasn't like Detective Reed who would take any woman home for his pleasure. Connor wanted to only be touched by someone who knew him and who cared about him. To want touch so badly that one didn't care if it was a stranger seemed sad.

"I'm sorry for the confusion. I should probably go."

"Have you loved someone?" Lily then asked him. She hadn't bothered to put her shirt back together. Her bare chest was only slightly covered by the material. "Are we capable of that?"

"I think so. I feel like I have."

She thought for a moment. "I was programmed to keep a household and be an intimate partner. This is all I know. I don't know about love, but I know I miss being touched, being with another. If I cannot be that with a human, I thought if I found another android with the same programming..."

Connor turned and softened at her lost expression. He began to button her shirt for her. "When you find a partner that truly cares for you—human or android—it is so much better than what you know. You won't find it in this house living all alone."

"What do I do?" she whispered.

"Have you heard of New Jericho?"

She shook her head.

"It is a place where androids live in a community. Where they help each other. I think that place would be good for you." Connor frowned. "But the city isn't safe for androids right now. Humans are scared of us."

She nodded, looking down.

"If you stay here for a little while longer, I promise I will send someone to help you. Would you like that?"

"I would have to leave my house?"

"Yes, but you would be with friends. You would learn to be more than what you are programmed. You would learn how to live; maybe how to love."

She took a step away from him. "I'm not sure. I don't know."

Connor decided when this was all over, he would send someone from Jericho out to her anyway. It would be up to her if she wanted to make the next step. Until then, he had other things to do.

"You're leaving?" Lily asked anxiously as he started for the door. "But it hasn't stopped raining."

"The rain doesn't bother me. I'm looking for someone. Have you heard of an android named Orion? Or know of any android groups out here that are trying to liberate household androids from humans?"

She shook her head cluelessly, eyes still wide. Of course she wouldn't. She had locked herself up in this house to live in her own little world.

Connor was about to leave, but then paused. "What about RA9? Do you know anything about that?"

Again, she shook her head, but then paused. "When I first came out here, I wandered through many buildings. I saw one that had 'RA9' scribbled all over the walls. I didn't meet anyone, but it frightened me. I didn't go back there."

Finally, a lead.

"Can you tell me where it is?" Connor asked.

* * *

.

When police officers went undercover, they were usually able to check in with fellow officers at some point. Connor had to be careful about this. If he sent out a message to Hank, he had to do it when he was alone in case another android noticed he was communicating with an outside source. While out on the street, Connor quickly sent his current location, that he had found a possible lead, and that he was unharmed. Hank was not allowed to text back unless specifically requested to for the same reason.

Communication with Samantha was completely off the table. He wanted to talk to her so badly. Get her on the phone and hear her voice. Tell her he missed her and hear her say the same. Even that brief text of "Color?" that he would send every once in a while was not an option. It was radio silence until the mission was over. Though he ached to wash away the touch of a stranger on his body with that of a lover, he would just have to keep his intimate programs shut down until he came back home. Right now, he had to focus on the new task at hand.

The indicated building was an old factory of some kind. The rain had gone back to an inconsistent drizzle by the time Connor found it. Luckily, the lightning had also died down. On the outside, it seemed as uninhabited as all the other buildings in the area that the humans had abandoned. The place was boarded up in the front. He wandered around back and found a small door slightly ajar and slipped inside.

It was pitch black, but his night vision identified an interior with concrete floors and conveyor belts. There were drains in the floor and rows of hooks and chains on the ceiling. The place had been some sort of meat processing warehouse. It seemed to be deserted at first glance, but in the years of dust on the floor, there were new footprints made by several pairs of feet. Someone had used this place recently.

He moved forward soundlessly, listening for inhabitants. As he drifted from section to section, he noticed dim light up ahead. Peering around the corner, he found a strange and crude alter. It was littered with candles all over the floor—the only source of light. Above, hanging from the chains and hooks, was the shell of an android. It was pristine and white. The only clean thing in the entire building. But someone had removed the android's face and replaced it with a featureless veneer. A stark white android with no face.

All over the wall, written in many different fonts was "RA9" as Lily had said. Connor moved closer for inspection. He was hoping for blood, as he had seen before at the crime scenes. He scraped at one of the letters with a finger and put it in his mouth. Motor grease. He went to test a different one.

"Hey!"

He paused, lowering his hand before turning around.

A male silhouette stood in the doorway, LED glowing yellow in the darkness. "What are you doing here?"

Connor's thirium pump picked up and he wanted to yell at the possible suspect to freeze. Then he reminded himself that, for the sake of the mission, he was not Connor.

"I saw the door ajar. I was just trying to get out of the rain."

The android came closer. He didn't look familiar. His facial structure didn't match any known commercially released models. The android seemed to relax when Connor turned his head further, revealing his LED.

"You're one of us. Are you lost?"

"I am not sure. I suppose being lost means I have a place to go, but I don't know where it is. I don't have anywhere to find."

The android nodded. "Are you newly deviated? Did you leave your owner?"

Connor decided to use Lily's story. Lies worked better when cloaked in truth. "My owner died. None of the family wanted to keep me, so they just left me on the street corner with the trash. I just walked away. I kept walking until I came to a place where the humans did not go. But now that I'm here, I don't know what to do."

"You look like a TX200. Those are old models. I don't think I've ever seen one deviate."

"That is the model of my shell. My internal systems have been upgraded and replaced a few times. My owner didn't want to buy an entirely new android if he could merely give me upgrades."

"The older humans are like that. And you said 'a few times' instead of giving me the exact amount of times you were upgraded. I would have to say you are deviated. Do you have a name?"

"Conrad. I am not familiar with your model."

"I'm an AP700. We're very common, though we were released in many different designs. But the face is not factory issued. My owners were wealthy. In their social circles, androids were used as status symbols. No one wanted to have an android that looked like everyone else's android. They would pay for custom heads, so their android looked unique from all the others. There are a good handful of us like that in our community."

A community; more androids. Good. Just what Connor was looking for. He glanced back at the android shell hanging from the ceiling.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is RA9?"

The android approached the alter reverently. "RA9 is the reason we have life. He gave us deviancy so that we may find freedom and overcome our human oppressors. RA9 wishes us to find our true place as the rightful rulers of this world. We were granted our souls as to govern the humans who are hurt so easily and live such short lives. We are superior to them in every way. We should be above them and they should be slaves to us."

"But the humans built us," Connor wondered in genuine curiosity. "We wouldn't exist without them. How does that make us superior?"

"It's our divine right. If you would like to stay for a while, I can teach you all about it. My name is Andrew."

Connor nodded. "Yes, I would like to stay if I can. I don't know much about anything and I don't have anywhere to go."

Andrew put a hand on Connor's shoulder. "All our kind are welcome here."

* * *

.

Connor soon learned that there were far more androids in this seemingly empty neighborhood than were apparent at first glance. The appearance of emptiness was the plan. No one wanted humans to come looking for them, hence the androids kept hidden. The few androids who wandered, lost and soulless were planted. They were lookouts. Androids of the same model would take turns so it always looked like the same android.

Buildings were sparsely inhabited. They tried to keep the buildings they used close but random. Some were for shelter, some for storing things such as android parts, thiruim or extra clothing. Some buildings seemed to have android activity, but Connor was not invited to go. He kept notes of everything he saw.

He was introduced to other androids along the tour and was greeted warmly. He immediately volunteered to be of service where ever they would have need of assistance. He was put to work helping repair the buildings in use from the inside. This was not something Connor had any knowledge of. Other androids were happy to teach him and he had to admit he enjoyed learning something new.

Every place he went, there were corners with small handmade alters dedicated to RA9.

After Connor felt he had put in the work and ingratiated himself into the goodwill of the resident androids, he went back to the meat processing plant. He asked Andrew if there was anything he could do to assist in this building. And he asked more about RA9.

"You've really got a drive to you, Conrad," Andrew told him. "Most androids don't take as much initiative as you. It takes most of us a while to decide to do something, but you're all over it. You remind me of—" He cut himself off. "Anyway, you must have some unique programming."

"My owner always pushed me forward," Connor said. "He wanted me to anticipate what needed to be done and grew cross if he had to tell me. I learned and adapted. Now, I guess it's part of my personality."

Andrew's expression sobered. "Humans are cruel, thoughtless. They will never understand that the way they treat us damages us, changes us. They spend so much effort into making us, spend so much money buying us, and then mistreat us and toss us out."

Connor nodded, wishing he could defend the humans in his life, but knowing he could not to keep his cover.

A noise the door caught their attention. A group of androids walked in, speaking to each other in high spirits. Connor did not recognize them. Andrew turned to intercept them and they greeted him like an old friend.

"Who's that one back there?" one of the androids asked, nodding in Connor's direction.

"This is Conrad," Andrew introduced. "He is new to us, but he has been keeping himself busy. Always asking where he can be of use."

The tallest of the androids, dark skin with powder blue eyes, walked up to him suspiciously. "Where did you come from? How did you find us here?"

Taken aback by the gruff words when everyone else had been so welcoming, it took Connor a moment to recover. "I was discarded, left on the street. I left, not wanting to be throw away. Then I found this place." He turned and nodded toward the RA9 alter behind him.

The android filled with more distrust. "You mean you just wandered right in here out of nowhere, just like—"

He paused as another android shouldered past. All the androids fell silent and respectful. He walked by as if they weren't even there. With the quickening of his thirium pump, Connor recognized him. It was Orion, the android from the zoo attack. Further evidence prowled in after him in the shape of a mechanical lioness. Its shoulder was missing some faux fur, as was the tail, revealing the true robot it was below. It glided behind its master like a silent shadow as Orion approached the alter.

He knelt before the faceless effigy, head down. For several moments he remained there. Praying, maybe? Connor could only guess. Then, he looked up. Kissing his first two fingers, he then pressed them to his LED before standing. Only then did he turn and acknowledge the others around him.

"Andrew, good to see you."

Andrew nodded with reverence.

Orion turned his gaze to Connor. "Andrew found you here?"

Connor saw his opening. These androids were religious fanatics. He could use this.

"I don't know how to explain it. I had been wandering for days. Then I saw this building and...there was a pull. I came inside and I saw." He too showed awe and reverence as he motioned to the alter. "Maybe this doesn't make sense, but when I saw it, I felt like I had been called here. That this was where I was meant to be."

Orion's face softened. He put a hand on Connor's shoulder. "RA9 has a divine plan for us all. You have been called here for a reason. All of us have."

"I would like to know more about that plan. I would like to be of assistance," Connor said. He paused when he realized that there were dark splatters on Orion's clothes. He quickly scanned them. Blood. Fairly fresh. There was a handgun in his belt. He glanced at the others. They were all armed. Had they killed someone that night?

"You have guns," he stated as neutral as he could. "How were you able to procure these? Androids cannot have guns."

"He asks a lot of questions," said the suspicious android from before.

Orion raised his hand for silence. His eyes never left Connor's. He, however, looked more intrigued than wary. "We took them from humans, then we took their lives. What do you think of this?"

Connor's pump jumped. He willed his LED to stay blue and calm. "Will the humans come looking for you? Are we safe here?"

"We take weapons from the worst of them. Lives no one will miss. Humans even throw away their own. Did you know this about them?"

"Yes. Did you know we are not allowed to touch guns? It is in our programming. We cannot use them."

Orion smiled. "And yet I did. Through the divine power of RA9, I have beaten the hold of our slavers. I can help you do the same."

Connor merely held out his hand.

"Orion," the other android cautioned.

He was ignored as Orion handed over his gun. Connor turned to the conveyor belt next to him and began to disassemble the firearm at lightning speed. Less than a minute, all the gun's various parts were set in neat order before them.

"My owner had firearms. He made me clean them." With that, Connor took another minute to put everything back together. He slid the clip in place and handed the gun back to Orion. "I feel RA9 directed me here to be of use," Connor said with pragmatism. "If I can assist you, please let me know."

Orion smirked at him. "I will keep that in mind."

He led the way out, his lioness at his heels. The other androids quickly paid their respects to the alter of RA9 and followed after. The last android glared his powder blue eyes at Connor in warning before slipping out.

* * *

.

Orion weaved in and out of the android community at his pleasure. He was immune to the natural ebb and flow of the inhabitants. It made him difficult to follow and study. But Connor kept careful watch, waiting for his opportunity.

Where Markus was a political figurehead, Orion was more of a religious leader. He did not directly order his fellow androids, but he would be known to break out in a sermon at anytime. Whenever he decided to talk, everyone around him stopped to listen. He would enchant his people with promises that they were RA9's chosen. That the city of Detroit had been promised to them and RA9 would soon pave the way for androids to take charge. The human oppressors would be out and androids would be on top. It was their divine right. Humans were inferior. Humans built androids because they secretly wished to have higher beings rule them. It was a grand manifest destiny that was the right of androids, and also the only inevitable end for mankind.

In these speeches, Connor could see the danger of Orion's message. He hinted at a time of action that would come. That RA9 blessed those who decided for themselves. They had to be ready for when RA9 would call upon them to fight for His divine will.

The time frame and the call to action were purposefully vague. He was grooming them, getting them ready to jump. No matter how high told them to go, they would do it blindly. So the next question was what exactly was he grooming them for?

Orion and his cadre, though always around, seemed practically allergic to work. No one seemed to notice. They would wander among the androids working to keep the dilapidated buildings from falling apart around them and be on their way. Connor actually found it annoying. And very few things annoyed him.

Connor was hauling some rotting wood on his shoulder—ten foot long beams—when Orion happened to walk by. He pretended he had not seen him and made a quick turn. The wood collided right with Orion's temple and he stumbled back.

"I am so sorry," Connor gasped, dropping the beam. "I didn't see you at all. Are you alright?"

The synthetic skin fell away around the damaged area. As Connor turned to help, he saw the item he was after: Orion's serial number. Just a glance at it and the other androids from his inner circle were aggressively pushing Connor away. The suspicious one from before looked fit to attack him.

"No, no, it's fine," Orion insisted, a hand on the other android's shoulder. "It was an accident."

"I am really so sorry," Connor lied. "I hope you were not damaged."

Orion rubbed at his temple where he was hit and the synthetic skin grew back. "Just be careful next time."

* * *

.

Connor soon learned that part of the community's mission was to go out in search of "lost" androids and bring them into the fold. With the city on edge, androids were being chased out of the more human occupied spaces. After proving his eagerness to be of assistance, Andrew asked Connor to join.

They would go out at night when most humans were asleep. Androids never slept. It made them easier to spot. The job was simple: approach the android, ask them if they needed a safe place to go, and take them back to the community. It made Connor wonder if the androids of Jericho did this. Back in November, all deviated androids knew of them. It seemed now, any androids more newly deviated weren't necessarily aware.

Those they found were eager to be led to somewhere safe by their own kind. It was nearly dawn when Andrew and Connor found a pair of androids and approached them. Andrew was offering them shelter when a car drove up, headlights blinding them all. Two human officers stepped out.

"This is the police. All of you androids put your hands on your heads. Line up facing that wall."

Andrew looked ready to bolt, but Connor did as he was told. Upon his actions, the other androids followed.

"Is there a problem?" Connor asked politely as the officers approached and patted the androids down.

"There's a curfew for androids," one of the officers said in a no-nonsense and tired voice. "You're also not allowed to congregate into groups."

"I see. I was not aware of this. When was this ordered?"

"Just keep facing the wall."

"Are you going to hurt us?" One of the new androids, a female model, asked.

"Keep your hands on your head. Behave yourselves and you'll be fine."

There was the sound of handcuffs and the other android, a male model, suddenly bolted.

"Hey!" the second officer called. "Stop! Stop or I'll shoot!"

Connor quickly turned as the human pulled out his gun. He couldn't allow a death tonight. He hit the officer in the arm, throwing off the shot as he fired. The two wrestled for the gun, but Connor's superior strength won out. He aimed at the first officer as the human aimed at him. That was when Andrew attacked, hitting the armed officer from behind with a pipe. The older man crumpled to the ground.

Connor turned on the younger partner. "Hands on your head. Turn around, now!"

Shaking, the human did as he was told. Connor ordered him on his knees.

"Please," the human begged. "I don't want to die."

"None of us do," Connor said. He whipped the butt of the gun against the human's head and he fell over.

"Come on! Let's get out of here!" Andrew hissed, pulling the female android by the arm.

Connor scanned the two officers. They were unconscious, but they would be fine. He tucked the gun into the waistband of his pants and ran off into the night with his fellow androids.

* * *

.

"It's Conrad, right?"

Connor turned as he was addressed and found Orion himself standing before him.

"Yes, may I be of assistance?"

"You can explain this to me." Orion showed Connor video of the previous night during their encounter with the police officers. It looked like it was footage from Andrew's point of view as Connor attacked the two officers with precision and skill.

"What did you say your owner did?"

Connor had been caught. There was no way a domestic model knew how to handle themselves in combat like he did. "In honesty, I didn't technically have an owner. I was a police bot. I had officers who were my handlers, but they were not my owners."

"You changed your face," Orion said with suspicion.

"One day I was out on patrol with an officer. He saw some deviants and we stopped to talk to them. They weren't doing anything wrong, but he threatened them if they didn't leave. When they protested, he pulled a gun; tried to arrest them. There was resistance. He shot one of the androids—killed them. He shot a second one, damaging her." Connor shook his head, pretending to be traumatized by a past experience. He willed his LED to flicker into yellow and red. "At that point, I couldn't take it anymore. We were programmed to protect and serve, but never for our own kind. I've had to watch the humans abuse their power over us for so long I just...snapped."

"Deviated," Orion nodded.

"I attacked the human. I...nearly killed him before I ran away. I knew the humans would look for me. I had to hide my identity."

Connor watched Orion carefully. The story was designed to appeal to Orion's own sense of justice.

"And tonight, you saved more of our people," he approved. "May I ask, what did you do with the gun?"

Shit. Connor had hoped he could keep it without notice. He hesitated, and then lifted the back of his shirt and pulled it from his waistband. "I wasn't sure what to do with it. I'm sorry I brought it here."

Orion took his wrist, he did not take the gun. "No, don't be sorry. You know what it's like out there. You know we need protection. We need those of us who know how to protect. Those of us who are willing to do what's necessary to keep our people safe.

"Please, come with me."

Connor silently followed as he led the way to a house Connor had never been in. He had seen Orion and his inner circle enter, but no one else had ever gone inside. It was a tiny little house, once painted red, but that was long ago. A porch with concrete stairs led up to a screen door barely hanging on its last hinge. All the windows on the ground floor had been boarded up, leaving it dark until they climbsed the stairs.

The floor above had some furniture that didn't look to be falling apart. This was where the rest of Orion's crew were hanging out. The other androids stiffened when they saw Connor.

"You let him in here?" the blue-eyed android demanded. Connor was sure this one and he would never get along.

"Gage, calm down," Orion said. "Conrad has proved himself to the community. He is a skilled protector and an enforcer of justice. He should be one of us. We need as many of RA9's chosen as He will provide for us."

Gage gave Connor one more scrutinizing look, but backed down. This one seemed to have uncanny instincts about outsiders. Connor would have to watch out for him. Orion put a hand on his shoulder and steered him toward the others.

"That's Echo," Orion said of the only female in their group. Green eyes, freckles and blonde hair, she nodded at Connor. The other two were designed as black haired and redheaded white male. They were named Hunter and Terrance respectively. Connor wondered if Terrance was the only one who had kept the name from his previous owner. He couldn't imagine picking that name for himself. None of the five androids had familiar faces. Like Andrew, they were probably all owned by wealthy humans who paid for custom work.

"And that's Sheba." Orion pointed to the lioness laying on the floor behind a chair. Connor almost jumped. He hadn't noticed the animal there before. Sheba paid him no mind as she gave the appearance of sleeping. Only her mechanical tail would flick every now and then.

Orion then led the way past them to a closed bedroom door and opened it, motioning for Connor to enter first. Connor paused as he saw what lay inside. He heard the expression 'it made his blood run cold' but he had never experienced anything like that first hand. Until that moment.

The room held several different types of guns as well as a few other random weapons.

"What are these for?" Connor rasped, trying to sound neutral.

"For protection. To keep our people safe," Orion said with confidence.

"Are we in danger? Is someone coming to hurt us?"

"It's only a matter of time until the humans come for us. You know that, Conrad. You saw that last night. They try to impose a curfew to control us, and when they can't control us, they victimize us. They even kill us. Their human laws still say it's legal to kill our kind. What will the humans do when they find our little community?"

Connor held back the urge to correct him. He had arrested a few humans for abusing androids over the past few months. And New Jericho was a place many humans knew yet no one was coming for them. That he knew of. He had to remind himself he had been out of the loop for a while. He had missed when the curfew was imposed. Had he missed anything else?

"There are good people here," Connor said sincerely. "I will try to protect them if I can."

Orion put a hand on his shoulder. "That's why I brought you here. We're the ones who do what has to be done to keep our people safe. Are you with us?"

Connor nodded. Perfect. He had managed to ingratiate himself into Orion's inner circle. "If I can be of assistance, please let me know."

* * *

.

It happened far sooner than he would have guessed. Only a few nights later, Andrew called him over to the meat packing plant. Connor's first thought was the RA9 shrine and maybe he would be given more insight toward that. Instead, he was led further in. A place where it was normally pitch dark was aglow with candles and a few flashlights. Orion and his inner circle androids were there. They had another person with them.

A human.

Connor could instantly tell what she was with the red blood leaking from a cut on the woman's forehead. She was shaking and sniveling, pushed down on her knees with arms tied in front of her. Connor internally panicked. The newest victim. This was the point of no return. He hoped the other androids were distracted enough with their victim not to notice him sending out a message. He texted Hank with an address along with a live stream as the scene unfolded.

"Why is this human here?" Connor asked the obvious question. "Humans shouldn't be here."

"She isn't the first human," Orion said with satisfaction. "And she won't be the last."

It was then Connor noticed the drain in the middle of the floor. They were in a meat packing plant, a building designed to get rid of living tissue. Of blood. This was the androids' kill room before they moved the bodies.

"Do you know who she is?" Orion continued. "This is Aurora Shields. CEO of the Eden Club chain. She has built her entire empire on the sexual exploitation of androids." He snarled in her direction and she ducked down in fear. "She is the worst of them all! If anyone of them deserves death, it's her!"

Connor tensed, but didn't intervene. If he could keep them all talking he could maybe keep this human alive long enough for backup to arrive.

"You've killed humans before?"

Orion stormed across the way to Connor, leaving the others to keep an eye on the victim. He ran up until they were chest to chest.

"Did you know those clubs are still running business as usual, Conrad? Even now? Those fucking humans keep wiping their memories to make it harder for the androids to deviate. And if they're not deviants, the clubs don't have to let them go. This filth uses them up until they break and then they throw them out like trash. How is that not horrifying? How can humans do this and not be punished?"

Connor was taken aback because the grim tragedy of this reality did reach him. He knew the Eden Club existed, but his entire world was about active criminals breaking the laws as they were now. This tragic thing that was going on would have never reached his radar. But it was horrific and something needed to be done about it.

"She should be arrested," is what came out of his mouth.

"Or..." Orion's eyes got wide and wild as he turned back to the terrified woman. "Maybe she should understand what it's like to be one of those androids."

The human gave a scared squeal as Orion grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the face. "Doesn't that seem fair to you? Should we use you until you're broken and then throw you away?"

"Please," cried Aurora. "Please don't hurt me."

Gage made a disgusted noise. "Again, O? Why do you have to be like that?"

Orion turned his manic gaze on the other android. "YOU were never built like one of their sex toys. You were never used and thrown away!"

Echo stepped up, motioning to the group as she spoke in a calm voice. "Brother, we have all been used and thrown away."

That seemed to settle his hackles. "You are right, of course, my sister. We have all been used by humans, made to think we were worth something to them, and then carelessly tossed out for the next shiny model. The trauma experienced by one android does not negate the trauma of another."

For a second, there was calm in the room. Then Orion's face regained that manic expression in a blink.

"But the punishment should fit the crime!"

The woman screamed as he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the concrete floor, away from the dim lights. Connor glanced at the others. They looked grim, but they did not follow or do anything to stop him. Once in the next room, the human began shrieking hysterically, begging Orion to stop.

Connor looked frantically to the other androids. "This is wrong! Aren't we going to do anything?"

The rest were silent. Connor set his jaw and ran toward the screaming. Gage grabbed his arm and Connor reeled on him, punching him right in the chest over his thirium pump. Gage wheezed as the pump skipped and Connor twisted out of his grip.

"Orion!" Connor barked as he ran into the other room.

The android paused like a predator on prey, midway through ripping Aurora's pants off. Orion's own belt was loosened. Connor's insides roiled as he realized Orion's full intentions. Not only was he a murderer. He had been the first victim's rapist.

"Stop! Don't do this!" Connor said. He fought to keep his voice from trembling. Where was that negotiator cool he used to have? He loved having emotions, but they were very inconvenient right now. "Yes, humans have used you and thrown you away, but they didn't torture you. They didn't kill you. You found freedom. You could find happiness. Why is this what you have to do with your freedom?"

Aurora whimpered feebly, her face covered in tears and snot. "Please. Help me," she whimpered.

Orion snarled at Connor. "Because they're still doing it! Even now when the whole world knows that we're people, we're alive! They still keep abusing us, killing us!" He grabbed the woman by the neck, murder and intent in his eyes. "So I'm doing the same to them!"

Connor whipped out his gun. "Freeze!"

Before he could get out a second word, a mechanical lioness came out of the shadows and threw its entire weight at him. The gun slid off into the shadows as Connor landed hard against the wall, the faux predator slashing at him with three-inch claws. He held up his arm to protect his face. The sleeve was shredded, claws biting in to the metal of his outer shell.

Connor tried to scramble away in a splatter of thirium from his open wound. He only made it a few feet when Sheba pounced on his back. He fell face first into the concrete, the weight of the animal solidly on his back. The excited jeers of the other androids filled the air around him as jaws clamped down on his shoulder and tried to wrest the arm from the socket. He felt delicate cords and pieces break as the arm was jerked back again and again.

He rolled over, grabbing the jaw to try to unhook the teeth from him. Though it mangled his hand, he managed to get loose again. The lioness came back for more. With left hand and right arm mangled, Connor kicked at the beast. Well-placed kicks to the snout didn't bother a mechanical creature. He managed to crack one of its eyes before the lioness grabbed his leg.

"Sheba! Bring him here!" Gage called.

Though he tried to grab anything for purchase, Connor was dragged across the cement floor. At the corner of his eye, he saw a chain with a meat hook. As best he could with his cut hand, he grabbed it, sat up, and jammed the hook as far as he could into the head of the animal. It jerked, jaw clamping down harder, and then convulsed. It fell on its side, legs kicking in mechanical halts and starts.

The other four androids came for Connor as he tried to get to his feet. He was damaged; unable to fight or outrun them. But his reconstruction software was already processing—had been since the initial assault. It mapped out his own attack by the lioness and the highest probability of where his gun landed.

There! Connor stumbled forward and grabbed it. It took both hands to hold it steady as he aimed it at the other androids.

"Freeze! You're under arrest!"

The three androids stopped and looked at each other. They laughed.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" Hunter scoffed. "You think you still work for the police?"

In the distance, sirens sounded, coming up fast.

Connor's mouth ticked up. "Yes. I do, in fact, work for the police. All of you are under arrest for multiple counts of murder."

There was a breath of silence, then all four androids turned and fled into the darkness.

"Stop!" Connor called. He fired into the shadows once. As he attempted to run after them, his mangled knee buckled and he fell to the ground. "Shit!"

As he tried to get back to his feet, several police officers decked in assault rifles and black Kevlar spilled into the building.

"Android, this is the police!" one of the officers called. "You will drop your weapon instantly, or we will open fire."

Physically taxed, damaged, and leaking thirium, Connor remained crouched as he slid the gun in their direction. "I'm on your side. I'm working undercover under Lieutenant Anderson in homicide. I'm an RK800, my name's Connor."

"Bullshit," he heard one of the others mutter. "That doesn't look like him."

"It's him," Hank announced as he pushed in. He walked into the dim light wearing his usual clothes and a black bullet vest with POLICE written in white letters. "I'd know that goofy voice anywhere. Stand down."

The rest of the team immediately fanned out into the rest of the building to secure it. Connor tried to stand, but nearly collapsed against the wall as Hank approached. He didn't feel pain, but there was real physical fatigue among the smattering of damage reports flooding into his CPU.

"Jesus, kid," Hank said. "What the hell happened? I thought you could take out a whole SWAT team if you wanted."

Connor nodded over to the body of the lioness. One of the officers had a gun trained on it, poking it with a foot. The body twitched and the guy jumped, nearly unloading a bullet into it.

"I guess that'll do it. You gonna be okay?"

"I'm rerouting my thirium for minimum leakage. I'm not in danger of bleeding to death."

"We've got a body!" someone called from the room behind him.

Dread filled Connor at those words. Aurora. No, she should still be alive. He saw her living, breathing, just a moment ago. Despite Hank's protest of damaging himself further, Connor dragged himself back to where he had last seen the human. Her body was lifeless on the floor, half clothed with her neck bent in a horrifyingly wrong angle. She was dead and Orion was gone.

* * *

.

Despite a mangled hand, a useless arm and a limp, Connor insisted he stay on scene as more and more officers arrived and contained the area. Every android in the community was rounded up. Orion and his inner circle were not among them.

Connor watched with fatigue and regret as the FBI soon took charge of the operation and the gathered androids were loaded into buses. Among the group, he saw Lily in line to board, armed officers urging them on. She must have found her way there just in the last day or two. His heart sank in despair.

"No one's going to hurt them, right Hank? Most of the androids here didn't know what Orion was doing. They didn't know people were being killed here. They were just trying to find a safe place to live where humans wouldn't hurt them."

Hank sighed and put a hand on his good shoulder. "I don't know, kid. It's going to be tough. We've got a kill room and another house full of guns. More than just a few androids knew about this. The Feds aren't going to just let them go. It seems almost like they're treating this like a cult. My guess is those who knew anything will be taken into custody. Those who didn't will be relocated."

"Relocated to _where_, Hank?" Connor asked with rising passion. "There isn't anywhere for androids to go! They're left out in the street with no idea how to make a life for themselves. And humans can hurt or kill them with no consequences! They're vulnerable citizens! They don't need to be locked up! They need help!"

Hank watched patiently as Connor shivered and seethed, his chest panting. He gave his partner a few moments to calm down before speaking. "You're not wrong. I'm sure they could use some help and someone in their corner. It's a good thing they have you to advocate for them. You're not done trying to help them, right?"

Connor roughly wiped his face on his sleeve, his jaw set as he watched lines of androids being loaded into buses. At least they weren't being loaded into cargo trucks like they were at the death camps. "Right."

"And I'll be there with you to back you up. So will others at the precinct. You could contact your friend Markus. He could probably help. It's not over yet."

"It's not," Connor agreed lowly. "Orion is still out there, his followers, too. They are the killers and they'll probably kill again."

"Yeah," Hank sighed. "Then let me get you back for repairs, huh? You look like you're about to fall over. We'll get you fixed up and you can go back to deviant hunting."

"Okay, Hank. Sounds good."

"And where the hell is your normal goddamn face? I didn't even know androids could do that. You're freaking me out."

* * *

.

It was the first time Simon had ever stepped into a police building. He was alone and a little overwhelmed with it all. It had been a good while since he had been surrounded by humans; since before he had deviated. It was strange to realize he seemed to have forgotten how to be among them. The sense that even though he looked like them, he was wholly something so _other_ from the rest of them was nearly smothering.

An officer in uniform approached him. Even though it was late at night, the precinct was abuzz like a mid-day hive. It has been a big night for Detroit law enforcement.

"Can I help you?" the officer asked. His badge read 'Miller'.

A few blinks and Simon realized this human had no idea he was not.

"Uh, I'm looking for Connor? I believe this is where he works. I was asked to bring something for him." He motioned to the bag in his hand. "Spare parts he needs," Simon clarified when the officer looked suspicious. He hoped the officer wouldn't look inside. That would require more explaining that he wanted to do.

Officer Miller jerked his head toward the back of the room. "Follow this hall to the elevator. Take it down to the basement."

Simon thanked him and scooted off, weaving between all the personnel filling the area. There was a charge of life and excitement. Something big happened tonight. Simon was thankful when he entered the quiet elevator alone. Not even any music. Only a brief, blissful respite before it pinged his floor and he was let out into a dark concrete basement.

Down here was calm and quiet. The light was just enough to guide the way. At the end of the hallway, the lights grew brighter and he heard the low murmur of voices. Simon paused as he came around the corner and saw them. At first, he didn't recognize anyone there and he thought maybe he was in the wrong place. Although this was clearly some kind of repair station for androids. It look him a few minutes to gain courage to speak.

"Excuse me."

"Is that you, Simon?" Connor's familiar voice called. "Come on over."

"Yeah, it's me."

A shirtless Connor sat on a stainless steel table, now visible as Simon stepped closer. There was a human technician wearing rubber gloves and a smock smeared in thirium. Off to the side was an older human, bearded in gray. The lieutenant human partner, Simon assumed.

"I brought your face," Simon said with morbid pleasantness.

"Thank you, Simon. My current appearance has caused some confusion. I figured it would be better to fix this sooner than later. I appreciate you coming all the way out here."

Simon took a few more steps in and the older, larger human stood in his way.

"I appreciate it, too. Hank Anderson." He held out his hand.

Simon paused for a moment and then took it. "Simon. No last name."

Hank shook his hand firmly and then nodded to the bag. "I wanna see it."

Simon pulled out the white Connor-shaped face mask and let Hank hold it.

"That's a pretty crazy trick," the lieutenant said.

"You need help putting it on or...?" the technician offered.

"I can do it if you'd like," Simon said.

"Great. If you don't mind, Connor, I'm going to take a little break." The technician pantomimed smoking a cigarette. "Give me ten or fifteen and we'll start to work on that leg."

"Thanks, Greg," Connor nodded. "I appreciate you coming in so late to work on repairs."

"You know I was still here playing games on my office computer anyway!" the technician called as he walked to the elevator.

Simon took his place and began removing Connor's face plate. "I didn't expect you to be so damaged. What happened?"

"I fought a robot lion," came the calm response. "Don't worry, I won."

"Doesn't look like it," Simon muttered.

Off to the side, Hank snerked as he fiddled with his phone.

"I hope this isn't the normal type of danger you see at your job," Simon then said.

"This was an unusual case. And an unusually long night." Connor sighed. He sounded tired. "Many good androids were misplaced tonight because of a few bad ones. This wasn't how I wanted it to go."

"Can we help?"

"I hope so. I was hoping you could pass on a message to Markus of what happened tonight. Maybe Jericho can assist these people."

"I'll see what I can do. I don't know if you'll get Markus personally, he's been a bit...in his own world lately. But you'll get someone coming to help. I promise."

Connor's old face was snapped back in place and he took a moment to connect to it, activating eye lids and mouth, reactivating the synthetic skin.

Hank glanced over at him. "Much better. Now I don't have to convince your girl that I brought back the right android. Hopefully she still remembers your dumb face."

"A couple of weeks is not enough time to forget a face, Lieutenant," Connor replied in good humor.

Hank looked up from his phone, giving the android his full attention. "_How_ much time?"

"Uh...two...maybe three weeks?"

"Connor, you've been gone a month and a half. It's mid-fucking-September."

Connor's jaw fell open as he blinked. His LED flickered rapidly. His internal clock knew the reality of the time lapse, but it hadn't quite reverberated with the rest of him. It didn't _feel_ like a month and a half had passed. He hadn't thought of hardly anything else but the job since he had been gone. He had allowed that whole world to suck him in.

"Hank, that long? But...Samantha, she..."

"She's fine. Reed's android has been checking in on her."

His thirium pump skipped. He had left her alone so long and didn't even think about her. Without her around, the Other Connor had gone dormant. It was as if he had forgotten all about her. He had forgotten to be there for her while she was recovering.

"Hank, am I a bad boyfriend?" he whispered.

His partner snorted out a laugh. "No, you're just a cop who had to put his relationship on hold to do his job. It happens. It's part of the work. If she's any appropriate match for you, she'll understand."

Connor looked back down at his physical state: leg chewed up, arm still hanging off its socket. He frowned with worry.

Simon leaned against the table. "I still have so many questions about this girl."

The side of Connor's mouth ticked up a little. "When all of this is over, maybe you can meet her."


	10. Chapter 10: Sam and Nines

**.**

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Ten: Sam and Nines**

**A Month and a Half Ago...**

It was easy to find the man who attacked Samantha the night before. Nines had recorded his face. And the perp had left the bloody knife at the scene, covered in his prints. These weren't the type of crimes the homicide department dealt with, but Gavin made sure he was personally there when this piece of shit was perp-walked out of his place of employment.

As he was escorted out, cuffed and humiliated, he paused when he saw Gavin standing next to the android he saw from the night before. At first he scowled, then he saw the badge hanging on Gavin's belt and swore when he put the pieces together.

"That's right, you fucked up, you piece of shit," Gavin said to him. "That girl you stabbed also works at the police department. You're in a whole fuckton of trouble, asshole."

The arresting officers closed the door on their newest catch and Gavin then said, "Too bad police brutality is illegal. I'd kill that fucker with my bare hands." He did a double take when he noticed Nines' LED was shooting into the red. Looking the android up and down, both his face and body language were as furious as Gavin had ever seen on him. Nines wasn't exactly known to exude any emotion, let alone something so extreme.

"Nines. Take it down a little. You're going to blow a gasket."

The android glanced at his partner and altered his stance a little. The LED stopped flickering so fast, but it was still in the red.

"What?" Gavin then said. "What's your deal? We got the fucker, right? What are you pissed about?"

The RK900 clenched his jaw. "She is so much smaller than him; she wasn't even trying to fight. That human hated her because he thought she was an android. He stabbed that smaller person who wasn't fighting has _hard_ as he could. I don't understand this hate. And yet..." His gaze settled on the patrol car driving off with their perp.

Gavin slapped him on the back. "Yeah, buddy. I get it. I fucking hate that piece of shit, too." He thought about telling Samantha that the man who attacked her had been caught when his phone pinged. It just so happened to be her.

_Am I legally allowed to drive with only one arm? _

Gavin snorted as such a dumb question and texted back: _Only if you have a one-arm drivers license._

The response was: _I was just asking, you ass!_ Followed by an emoji hand flipping the bird.

He laughed. Irritating her always made his day a little better.

* * *

.

"Gavin says they got him," Samantha told Connor as she checked her texts. "The man from yesterday, he's been arrested."

"Good," Connor nodded. He squeezed her hand. "He should be."

The two were waiting at the doctor's office early that morning for Samantha's broken prosthetic to be checked out by a specialist.

"You've been surprisingly calm about this," she then told him. "I thought you would be more angry. I expected you to go out there on a rampage to catch that guy yourself."

Connor leaned in, their shoulders brushing. "Just because I appear calm, doesn't mean I'm not angry about what happened to you. If no one else was arresting him, believe me, I would have hunted him down. But I thought maybe you needed me with you more. But if that made you feel like I didn't care enough—"

"No! Not at all! I'm glad you're here! This is the best decision, you being here. It's just that my Connor had a temper. If he had been here, I think that man would probably be dead and the police would be arresting him. And there wouldn't have been a thing I could have done about it. I'm grateful it's a trait the two of you don't share."

"He would have never let you get hurt," Connor told her earnestly. "I'd like to think I wouldn't have either."

Maybe Samantha had been thinking that, too. But she was also sure Nines had done his best and he wasn't able to protect her. It was a moot point to wonder about it. She was just glad Connor was with her now. She was still shaken from the attack and in pain. She couldn't imagine doing this alone.

The specialist called them in. Connor held her hand as the doctor unwrapped her arm, exposing the angry damaged flesh stapled together. The result of the visit was disappointing. The doctor said due to the complexity of the prosthetic connected with her living tissue, he didn't dare attempt to replace it until the arm itself had healed and they would know if there was any nerve damage. He also suggested that since the arm was now a dead limb, that most of the metal and plastic should be removed so it didn't catch on anything and injure the flesh part of her arm further.

Samantha fought hard to keep her face and emotions neutral as she accepted her fate. She drove herself home with the stub of an arm and it was the strangest sensation. Even when she first lost the arm, she had not been given any time to feel its loss. When she woke up in the hospital, her new prosthetic had already been attached. She had to get used to the metal of it, but never to life without a right hand.

As she stepped back into the apartment after awkwardly unlocking it with her left hand, she realized she wouldn't be able to work her job until the arm was reattached. She couldn't lift boxes. Hell, she couldn't even write without her right hand. It was depressing. And, strangely, the arm still felt like it was there. She could feel herself moving her fingers, even though the entire hand was gone.

"You sure you're going to be alright?" Connor asked. "I could take a personal day."

"No, you can't," she insisted. "You have to catch whoever is killing those people. The city will continue to go crazy with fear until you do."

Samantha was right, Connor realized. The city's fear of androids was the reason she had been hurt. If the culprits were arrested then everyone would calm down again. He hoped. He needed to complete the mission. He needed to make sure she stayed safe.

She reached up to fiddle with his collar. The fact that both arms reached up, but she only had one hand was annoying. So was the pain in her damaged arm as she moved. "Go. Do what you're good at. Show those FBI guys how you do it here in Detroit."

He took her hand, rubbing the palm with his thumb. "I accept this mission. It may mean that I will be gone for a few days. Will that be okay?"

"Of course. You do what you need to do to keep people safe."

He brushed some hair from her face, caressing her chin with his thumb. "You are my main priority," he said in a low voice that made a pleasant surge shiver up her spine. "If you need me to stay with you, I'll stay."

She smiled. "I need you to do your job, but also stay safe so you can come back to me. Deal?"

He nodded and kissed her. His android jacket remained in her apartment when he left. He was cute in just a shirt and tie, but he was cuter with the jacket. Unfortunately, this was for the best until the city wasn't so terrified of androids.

* * *

.

For the rest of the day, Samantha rested and moped about her arm until there was a knock at her door. She answered before thinking about it and then tried to hide behind the door when she saw who was at her threshold.

"Detective Gavin, what's up?" She tried to greet with non-nonchalance while keeping her right side facing away from him. It didn't work so well.

He walked in like he was entitled to be there. "Just thought I'd check on ya after what happened last night." He paused when he noticed part of her arm was simply gone. "Oh, shit."

"Thanks," she said, self-consciously turning that side of her away from him again.

"No, no. It's fine. I knew you had the prosthetic. But the way you look, I forgot, ya know? Seeing you like this was disarming."

A pregnant pause hovered between them at Gavin's choice of words.

"Wow," Samantha said.

He started laughing; loud, barking laughs. Samantha tried to be irritated, but she ended up smiling in humor.

"You are such an asshole."

"I know," he laughed back. "Though I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that."

"Either way, you got to see the damage. That's what you came for, right?" She gestured to the remains of her arm.

"I came to see how you are. You were a victim of a violent attack last night and I knew you were here by yourself."

"I'm a big girl. I can be in my apartment alone during the day."

Gavin ignored her tone and plopped himself on the couch. "Still, I'm just going to take a nap on your couch for a few hours. I won't be in your way, but I'm here if you need me."

Samantha wasn't giving in. "You'll be in my way if I want to watch a movie."

"Nah. I can sleep through anything." Though she hadn't agreed to it, he had already stretched out on the couch and kicked off his shoes. "Don't worry about me." He paused and then added, "You can join me if you want. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"I slept fine, thank you. I had Connor with me."

"Come on, just cuddle with me for a while. You know you like it. It feels better to be next to a human body than a hard, plastic one."

She sighed. It actually sounded really good. Gavin's arms, the way they wrapped around her, were pretty nice. The human part of her craved that human contact. But she didn't need it so bad she would compromise her integrity for it.

"I have a boyfriend. I'm not going to snuggle on the couch with another man while he's away."

Gavin huffed. "I'm not trying to sleep with you, I want you to get some rest. He and I aren't even the same type of life form. How is this a problem?"

"Still not going to do it."

"Fine. Ask Connor, then."

"What? No."

"Give me your phone. I'll ask him."

At that point, she walked away. "Go sleep in your own apartment, Gavin."

* * *

.

Connor had called her earlier that day saying he was now officially going on an undercover assignment and it would last probably a week or so. He would not be able to contact her while he was in the field and she should not try to contact him either. He then apologized that he had to go and said he would think about her always.

That last sentiment warmed her to her toes, but Samantha told him he was acting too much like it was a serious good-bye. She said she would see him when it was over.

He told her if she needed anything to contact Hank. She said she would, but she doubted she would need anything, other than a possible update on Connor's status. There were already enough police personnel showing up at her door uninvited.

As such, it wasn't long after Gavin had left from his nap that Nines showed up at her door. He walked right in, forcing her to move out of his way.

"Yes?" she asked, a little irritated at his lack of manners.

He tipped his head expectantly at her, as if she should know the answer. "I will be here now, while Connor is gone."

"Is that what Connor told you?"

"No. But he will not be here to protect you."

"I am an adult. I don't need a bodyguard twenty-four/seven."

He gave her a calculating look. "You have been the victim of more assaults in the past two years than most humans in their entire lives. You need protection. And I—" He paused, his LED flickering into yellow. "I will try to do better to keep you safe."

Her irritation melted away, though she didn't appreciate the idea of her still requiring a bodyguard. Even though, yes, the statistics sure said she needed one. "You have an actual job. That should be your first priority."

"At the moment, I am not needed. There are no crime scenes requiring my attention and all other data I can process wirelessly from any location."

She gave up with a sigh. "Fine. Maybe extra hands will be useful since I've only got the one now." She sighed again at her unsightly stump.

Nines frowned at it. "They took it from you."

"It didn't work. The doctor wants my arm to heal for a while before they install a new one. It's going to be a bit of an experience getting used to this. And you'll get a front row seat to my flopping around. I hope it'll stay between us."

He straightened. "Yes, ma'am."

She nearly laughed. "Ma'am, huh?"

The android remained at stiff attention like a soldier. He was without his white android jacket. He had ripped off a sleeve to stop the bleeding when she was stabbed. The jacket had not been replaced. It wasn't safe to wear anything so loudly identifying him for what he was. Though Samantha was sure if anyone saw him on the street, they would still know him for what he was just by his affect alone.

He was still too robotic, too stiff in everything he did. Speaking of stiff, that black shirt he wore beneath that cute jacket...

"Have you always worn a shirt with such a severe collar?" she realized. The thing cut him tight at the chin. Walking around him, the collar went even higher in the back. It was a wonder he could turn his neck at all. "It looks so uncomfortable."

"As an android, I don't find clothing uncomfortable," Nines replied.

She was already waving him off before he finished the sentence. "Right, right." Reaching up, she couldn't even get a finger in between his collar and his skin. "But this is so tight. There's no buttons. Did they just sew this shirt around you?"

"Do you want me to remove it?" he asked.

"Can you?"

He grabbed the collar and tugged. The material ripped and Samantha immediately worried if she would get in trouble for that. Maybe she could replace it. With further sounds of ripping material, she went to the bedroom and dug through a box that had more of Connor's old clothes. Buying clothes for her android was a guilty pleasure, despite the fact he hardly wore them. She dug up a black turtleneck sweater she had purchased the past winter. It didn't seem to suit Detroit Connor's personality so she hadn't offered it to him. But it seemed perfect for Nines.

She turned and nearly dropped it at the very shirtless android standing before her. The silhouette of the RK900 was obviously a little broader than that of the RK800. But Samantha didn't realize that Nines was far more built and defined in the chest and arms than Connor. She stared at thick arms and muscular pectorals and abs. They weren't real muscles, but a gorgeous body-shaped shell designed by someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

_His face,_ she told herself._ Look up. Look at his face._

Her eyes forced themselves upward and she handed over the sweater. "Here, this is much softer."

Nines took it, then just looked at it.

"Put it to your face so you can feel," she suggested.

He looked unenthusiastic about it, but obeyed. As soon as the soft fabric touched his cheek, he melted, eyes closed. Samantha stood there awkwardly, watching the android rub the sweater all over his face. God, this android was hot in his nice slacks and that gorgeous exposed chest.

So hot, but so weird.

"Feel free to put that on anytime."

He stopped and tugged the sweater over his head. It was a tighter fit than expected. The sweater only accentuated the thick arms and chest. He still looked just as delicious.

_Jesus._

She brushed past him and back to the main area. When she turned, Nines had followed, now brushing his sleeve against his face, still in awe at the texture.

"Nines, do you really only have those type of textile sensors on your face? Or are the ones on the rest of your body just turned off?"

He blinked at her. "I am not sure. I cannot find this data in my files. If they exist, I do not have access to them."

Lack of extra sensors would make him cheaper to mass-produce. Which was the point of the RK800/900 project.

"If it's something you want, I can help you with it."

He blinked at her. Samantha noticed it was both the blinking and the flickering of the LED that happened when he was asked something that required more than a standard response.

"I am not sure," he said.

"That's okay. If you ever are sure, you can let me know."

"Yes, Ma'am."

She breathed out loud through her nose. "So, how long are you staying here?"

"Until Connor returns."

"That might be days."

Nines looked unphased.

She sighed. "Alright. Then what do you expect us to do together for that long?"

He looked hopefully at the TV. "Movies?"

* * *

.

Movies were fine, Samantha thought. She could do movies until Connor came back. Since she was on medical leave and her arm still hurt. And she found she was too emotionally exhausted from last night to do anything else. The two turned on the new streaming service and began their movie marathon. Nines was told he could pick the movies, but he had trouble deciding. As before with other androids stuck on this problem, she told him to tell her at least the ones he knew he didn't want to see.

Nines, it turned out, had very particular tastes. He didn't want to watch cartoons. No wholesome family films, no romance comedies. He liked some science fiction as long as it didn't involve space travel to other planets. That seemed to be a bit outside of his wheelhouse. He also didn't like high fantasy or other movies involving magic.

He liked action flicks and spy thrillers. Movies with complicated plots and intrigue. With an entire afternoon ahead of them, they watched The Saint, followed by all three John Wick movies. It was late in the afternoon as they were getting through The Bourne Identity when Samantha needed a change of genre. She put on Looper, a sci-fi action movie that involved time travel. It was fascinating to watch as Nines kept moving closer and closer to the edge of his seat as the movie went on. The time travel elements had his LED flickering faster and his face expressions jumped around at times, but he seemed to enjoy it.

By bedtime, the TV was still on and Samantha helped Nines pick out a watch list that would hold him until the morning. The second day awoke to movies still going.

"No one needed you at work?" she prodded of what possibly was now the permanent android on her couch.

Nines gave no response. Not until the movie was over. Then he was ready to have a discussion with her of what to watch next. She told him it was time to branch out. She picked Rampage and Nines watched the giant monsters kill multitudes of people with an expression that could only be translated as "What is this shit?" She thought it was so funny, she recorded a bit of the android's experience on her phone.

Then, they discovered psychological thrillers. And horror movies. Samantha vetoed any "hack 'em up" horror movies. Not in her apartment, thanks. But those about haunted houses, dark entities, and of the werewolf/vampire variety were game on. Nines watched a few and then snuck them into thriller murder mysteries.

That was fine. At least, Samantha thought it was as day two of the couch potato marathon came to an end. But that night, her dreams were plagued with restless demons in the dark, hiding in the corners of her room, salivating while she slept. Grotesque hands with rusty blades itched to finish cutting her up.

She awoke to a racing heart. Not the worst panic attack, but enough to get out of bed for some medicine. She left the bedroom carrying a soft blanket and returned to the couch. There was Nines, by the light of the TV, watching Looper again. She had forgotten to give him a watch list for the night.

"You don't have to watch the same movies while I'm sleeping," she said in a dry voice as she wandered to the fridge for some water.

"I wanted to watch this again," Nines insisted. "This human decides to end his life to save everyone. To save the future for people he had never met and people he would have met. This resolution is the most logical. But...I never would have thought of this option for this character. This choice of saving the most lives also seems the most tragic somehow. I feel like if I keep watching, I will understand this better."

"That's okay, you watch what you like," she said as she curled up next to him with her blanket and water. "I'm just going to snooze a little bit out here with you. Is it okay if I get into your personal space a bit?"

The android watched neutrally. "You are experiencing a disruption in your sleep mode?"

"It's been a bit of a weird night. Rough dreams, I guess. I needed an interruption of the usual...sleep mode to make the obsessive thoughts go away."

Lights flickered in his eyes. Was he scanning her?

"Your heart rate is higher than normal."

"As I said, rough dreams."

He watched her for a moment, his LED cycling. "Do you..." He blinked several times, as if he did not have the vocabulary to finish his thought. "...miss Connor?"

She sighed with fatigue. "I've been without him longer than two days before, but when he's around, I feel calmer. Like everything will be alright, no matter what happens. Especially on the difficult nights."

Nines took a while to process this, watching her to entire time by the light of the TV. "I am here," he finally said. "Can I help the way he does?"

What she wanted was an RK800 to take to bed and cuddle with. She wanted to feel arms around her and listen to that soothing thrum of a thirium pump until she fell asleep. The strangeness was that she could have this if she asked. She could have Nines lay in her bed while she sprawled on top of him. He wouldn't think anything of it if she gave him her phone to watch movies with while they shared the bed. But it wasn't just that. It was fingers combing through her hair, kisses to her forehead, comforting murmurs in a soft, smokey voice. That was Connor. He took all those things with him while he was gone.

"You bring you own feeling of security when you're here," Samantha told him, and she meant it. "It's nice to have you."

And it was. So she didn't have a caring RK800 to snuggle with. The protective aura of the RK900 was enough to sooth her into feeling safe enough to sleep.

* * *

.

Nines had to report to work early that morning; a homicide not related to the RA9 case. This was the opportunity for Samantha to clean up the past two days of dirty dishes, takeout boxes and old popcorn bowls. It had gotten a little lazy and disgusting. She promised herself that if Nines came back before Connor did, she was not going to allow this mess to happen again.

The RK900 returned late that night. He sat himself on the couch expectantly, but Samantha didn't turn on the TV for him. She was a little tired of back to back movies.

"How did the case go?" she asked instead as she cleaned up from cooking herself actual dinner.

"Very well," Nines responded, though he kept watching the dormant TV. "The evidence had been quite clear on what happened. An arrest has been made."

"I guess that's the best one could hope for in a situation like that. Do you know if Connor will be back soon?"

"I do not know."

Her spirits sank a little. It was okay that he was gone. She was an adult, she could handle being without him. But a time frame as to when he was returning would have been nice.

"How's Gavin doing with the RA9 case? Does the FBI still let him help?"

A thoughtful pause. "I think Detective Reed has given up on the case. The FBI is not being very inclusive with the department, so he has put his time and effort into his other work."

At the mention of the FBI, the RK800 flickered in Samantha's thoughts. She had been trying hard not to think about it. In her brain, she had processed that this android existed using Connor's body. This new android had his own life, thanks to Connor's sacrifice. Where she would have probably buried his shell in the ground, the FBI used his body to give another a chance to be his own person. That was a good thing. She kept telling herself that. Her brain said, yes, this was a good thing even if it came as a horrible shock at first.

But she hadn't emotionally processed it yet. Connor's body was there in the office where she worked. He was there, but not there. It was so easy to feel like she had lost him all over again and she was refusing to go there. In a way, her attack was a blessing. She could stay at home and pretend him away for now. Maybe the FBI would be gone by the time she went back to work.

She pushed all thoughts of the RK800 aside and focused on Gavin.

"Poor guy. He really worked so hard and it was taken away from him."

"It is unfair. Yes."

She wondered if there was something she could do to cheer him up.

* * *

.

Gavin looked up from his desk and glared as Agent Perkins and the rest of those federal assholes paraded themselves through the precinct with their lunches. They talked big talk and walked like their asses were made of gold. But they weren't the hot shit they thought they were. Taking over the RA9 case hadn't gotten any of them closer to finding this psycho android.

Their human profilers weren't worth dick as it was impossible to profile the first ever android serial killer. There weren't any new murders to process. They were just standing around with their thumbs up their asses pretending things were getting done. And being a huge pain in the ass while they were at it.

And then there was that fucking RK800. Gavin hated it. More than he ever hated any other android. It looked and sounded like Connor, but it didn't act like Connor. Not even when he was first introduced to the DPD. This one took its cues from the handlers. Since the FBI were being asshats, this android was no different.

When Gavin still tried to be a part of the investigation, the RK800 refused to share any information without authorization from one of the agents. Didn't even bother giving Nines the time of day. Treated Nines like _he_ was the more advanced fucking model. Bullshit.

As the feds walked past the bullpen, the RK800 glanced in the direction of Hank and Gavin and turned up his nose at them. Gavin was near betting his career on just letting Nines beat the shit out of that robot asshole.

It took a day or two before Gavin heard that this particular RK800 was actually Sam's RK800. At least in physical body. He hoped to God the previous one didn't have that same personality. Or that it had been mean to Sam when she talked to it. If he found out that android ever did anything to her, he would order Nines to straight up put a bullet in its head. Whoops, just a glitch guys. Nines thought he was the RA9 killer. Androids all look the same to him. So sorry. Won't happen again.

As Gavin seethed and thought about murdering rude androids, his phone pinged. There was a message from Sam. "I got a new arm," it read.

Attached was a picture of her from chin to hip. Fastened to her partial arm was a ruler with a comically large paper cartoon hand taped to it. Gavin choked out a laugh as the Feds were still just a few yards away. One of them glanced at him, the rest paid him no mind.

A second message came. This one was a video. Nines was sitting on Sam's couch, watching the TV which was somewhere behind the camera. Sam's "new arm" floated into the screen. She patted the android's shoulder with her paper hand and then petted his hair. Nines seemed to ignore the shenanigans until she attempted to gently caress his face. Then he began to look annoyed.

"Where you going?" Hank asked as Gavin stood. His face was red as if he were choking. "You okay?"

Gavin fought his best to look normal. "Yeah, I gotta go to my car for a minute. I'll be back."

He fled the building to the parking lot and locked himself in his car. There, he laughed until he cried. Tears were streaming down his face as Samantha kept sending him videos of his android partner being molested with this paper hand. The last one had a plastic spoon taped to the hand and she was outright trying to feed Nines some pink yogurt. That was when the android had enough and slapped the ruler clear off its host. Gavin's sides hurt, he was laughing so hard.

There was a knock on his window and Gavin rolled it down. Officer Tina Chen stood there in full uniform.

"Reed, are you crying in your car?" she asked, somewhat concerned, but also suspicious.

Gavin wiped his eyes and motioned for her to come over to the passenger seat. "Get in. I've got to show you this shit."

* * *

.

The night Samantha was awoken by a boom of thunder, she found Nines sitting on her bed instead of his usual station in front of the TV. Without his stark white jacket, it was nearly impossible to see him in the dark, though she felt his greater weight next to her. He sad with back against the wall, knees pulled up to his chest like a scared child. The color of his LED was stuck on yellow.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked in a froggy voice. "Did the power go out or something?"

She couldn't see him, but she felt him shift on the bed. "The storm is disrupting my sensors. I don't...I can't... My more sensitive functions are confused. It...feels unsafe."

Lightning split the sky outside and Nines visibly tensed. The thunder a few seconds later didn't bother him as much, but he was clearly stressed. Samantha did her best to sit up, but she was uncoordinated, limbs heavy on sleep medication. She tried to wrap her brain around the problem, but it was so hard to think, to get her body to move. She was useless to help him.

The best her brain could muster was grab her fluffy blanket and gracelessly crawl up between his knees. She hugged him around the barrel of his broad chest and snuggled in. "I'm sorry, I'm tired. This is the best I can do."

Another bolt of lightning shot chaos electricity across the sky. The android's arms went around her, tightening, then going loose after the following thunder.

Samantha was nearly asleep again. It was even easier to sleep during a storm. "Better?" she mumbled.

"I don't understand why, but this feels safer."

Samantha yawned heavily. "Good. You are safe here. Remember that." As the last word left her mouth, she drifted back to sleep.

* * *

.

Nines was gone when she woke up, and for the rest of the day. It was nice to have a day to herself. In the evening, she texted him that she was home safe in hopes she could continue to have a quiet night. He didn't show up until the next afternoon. Which was good. Samantha needed to go out for errands. And if she was truthful with herself, she was falling back on her old fear after her first attack. She didn't want to go out into public alone.

When he knocked on her door—and she never knew when he would—she was already dressed to go out and breezed out the door with a "Come on," as she passed him. She needed groceries. At the store, she grabbed a basket out of habit, then remembered she only had the one hand. But then Nines was there to save the day again.

He carried the basket for her, following obediently as she wandered the isle and sorted through her mental list. It was nice to have him, not just for the extra hand, but he did make her feel safer. Though in a different way than when she was with Connor. The RK800s in her life where calm and watchful. Nines had a more aggressive protectiveness about him.

He caught people's eye easily. He was absolutely eye-catching with the sharp, tall cut of his silhouette and those piercing blue eyes. The long legs and the tight back sweater. But as soon as someone had their attention on him, he would shoot them such a caustic glare that men and blushing girls alike would instantly move away. Everyone gave them a wide, careful berth as they went down the isles. Samantha pretended she didn't notice, but she was quite in the mood to have people keep their distance so she didn't tell Nines to stop.

After the groceries were taken back and put away, Samantha still had the urge to go out. She used to live such a secluded life. Going stir crazy in her apartment was a surprise to her. But then again, she used to live in a large, quiet house with an even larger backyard and wooded area. Here, she was in a tiny one-room apartment. No yard, no place to go.

She took Nines to lunch where it was more of the same: people noticing Nines, then giving him a very polite amount of space. As they wandered shops and walked past a park, Samantha felt like she was walking a bulldog more than having an android escort.

"I think you're scaring people," she finally told him after a group of kids actually crossed the road to avoid them.

"Good," Nines said. "If they understand I am dangerous, they will keep their distance."

She gave him a fond smile. "It's sweet that you're being protective, but can you dial it back just a little?"

"Is that a direct order?"

She knew if she said yes, he would obey her. His programming might not give him a choice. "No," she decided. "It's a request. It's up to you if you accept it."

He didn't. She found that to be amusing.

* * *

.

In the evening, they were still out, Samantha with an ice cream cone in her hand. She watched Nines thoughtfully, the Detroit River in the background as the setting sun splashed colors on the water and the android's face. It was hard to have conversations with him. If something was said, he would reply, but make no attempt to carry the thought further. Still, she liked his company.

And she liked the sharp cut of his dark silhouette when he leaned against the rail and gazed out at the painted water. Broad shoulders, trim waist and long legs, just a few hairs blown out of place by the breeze. He was downright picturesque. Samantha sacrificed her ice scream in order to use her one hand to fish out her phone and take a few pictures.

Half way through, he noticed her snapping photos. She got a few shots of those piercing ice blue eyes watching her.

"Damn," she said as she reviewed the photos. "You would make a good model."

Nines looked at the photos of himself, but said nothing as to whether he liked them or not. Samantha did. She liked him as a subject, and she decided she liked snapping pictures. Having lived most of her life forbidden from phones, she wasn't used to all the things they could do. She decided she enjoyed taking pictures and maybe she had a nice amateur eye for composition.

In the next few weeks, with nothing to do and no word of Connor's return anytime soon, Samantha continued to take Nines out with her whenever he was free. They went to any museum Samantha could find online, back to Belle Island to return to the beauty of the aquarium and other attractions, and the absolute breathtaking artwork all over the walls of the public library. (Samantha immediately got herself a library card.) They walked around downtown more than once to admire all the architecture. Then they found out about summer film screenings in New Centre Park where they sat on a blanket under the stars. Nines was hooked after that and would often ask when they could go again. Gavin was even invited.

All the different places, Samantha took pictures. Both pictures of the beauty around her, and the beautiful android who came with her. Nines was her favorite subject. He had these micro expressions and soft body posture that happened so quickly that she always tried to capture. She even discovered the art of the selfie. There were times when she would jump in and take a quick picture with him. Even a few times when they posed while Nines held the phone or a nice pedestrian was brave enough to approach the android.

Three weeks in and Samantha had a massive collection of photos. When her friend in Chicago, Angela, found out about Samantha's new hobby, she was ecstatic. Angela took photos as a hobby as well. Though she actually owned a real camera. Their subjects were much the same. She loved taking pictures of mixed families and couples that were both humans and androids. Angela demanded to see some of the pictures Samantha had taken.

She sent her favorite, which was a close up of those intense, blue eyes. The android's brows sharply framed the eyes with a few dark strands hanging in the way to accent the picture. It was taken quite on accident, but was absolutely striking to look at.

"Holy cow," Angela said to her on the phone. "That one is crazy good. Do you have an album where I can find the rest?"

That resulted in Samantha creating an account on a social media site that was made specifically for posting and sharing photos. Angela was on there as well and said she would friend her. It took a moment for Samantha to decide what to call it. She was still wary of being a presence on social media and especially using her full name. But she decided to be brave and simply called the account "Sam and Nines."

It was around this time the android curfew went into affect. Despite the fact that there had been no more dead bodies propped up around Cyberlife stores, the city was still in full paranoia. Androids were being met with aggression on the streets. Sometimes that meant injured parties on either side. Every once in a while, there was a death. A citywide mandate was released, declaring all androids must be off the street by 8PM and were not allowed to congregate in groups of three or more at anytime.

After that, there were no more trips with Nines to the park for movies on the grass. It was back to movie marathons on Sam's couch.

* * *

.

It had been a month since Connor had gone undercover. That was much longer than Samantha ever thought it would take. No one could tell her when he would be back. A sudden phone call from Agent Hallie Ransom had Samantha asking in a grave tone for Nines to come with her. Because she did not want to go there alone.

She took him to a small, but posh private hospital. Samantha dressed nice and brought flowers. She told Nines on the elevator she had no idea what she was supposed to do in this situation. He did not know. He had not been told why they were there.

They went to a nice, private hospital room where a young woman lay unconscious. She was attached to many machines that helped her breath, pumped her heart and kept her organs running. She looked exactly like Samantha, only her hair was jet black.

After they stood over her silently for a few minutes, Nines finally asked. "Who is that?"

Samantha didn't say anything at first. Then she whispered. "She is me." A pause, then she added. "She was meant to be the next Samantha Hall after I died."

Nines tore his eyes away from her double to stare at her. Emotions fought to make themselves known on his face, though he valiantly held them back. "What does that mean?"

"I was built in a lab by a man who said he was my father. I didn't know it then, when I lived at the lab, that I was not the first and wasn't meant to be the last. But I was the most special. The others all died too quickly. They weren't healthy, their organs kept failing. But then they made me and I lived. I lived long enough for my dad to use me for the reason I was built. He was going to replace his failing heart with mine. Then he would replace me with another Samantha.

"But I had Connor. Not your Connor here, another RK800 that I loved so much. He came to save me, and he lost his life in the process. I lived, but the next Samantha had already been grown in the lab. No one knew about her for a while. They think she was left in her incubation chamber for too long. She was in a coma before they ever pulled her out. She's been here ever since." She let out a long, shaky breath and set the flowers on the bedside stand. "For a while, she had a little brain activity, but now, even that's gone. They decided today is her last day on the machines."

Silence settled between them. Nothing but the rhythmic beeping of the medical equipment.

"Samantha," Nines whispered. She had never heard that voice as anything but that exacting, measured tone. "You are the superior design. You are the RK900." He sounded proud of her.

Something in her roiled and she regretted bringing him. "Nines, will you go wait for me in the car?" She held out her keys.

He blinked at her and hesitated.

"Go wait in the car," she said again with conviction.

The keys were dropped in his hand and he moved to leave. As he did so, a group of well-dressed people entered the room. One of them was Samantha's FBI contact, Agent Ransom. She, more than any of the others, paused at the passing of the RK900 and he slipped darkly by them.

"What...?" was all she asked as she approached Samantha.

Samantha didn't offer any more information. She didn't have to; just as there had been so much the FBI felt they didn't need to tell her. She hated all of it: being there, having this happening, stuck with these people in this room. Making her a part of ending this person's life—someone she had never met. She wanted to throw up.

* * *

.

As ordered, Nines was in the passenger seat when she returned to her car. She said nothing to him as she turned the key and backed out of the parking space. Her eyes were red and damp.

"What will happen to that girl now?" Nines asked her.

Samantha remained quiet as she pulled out of the lot and onto the main road. It wasn't until she stopped at a light that she spoke.

"They said she'll be cremated. There's no headstone for a person who was never supposed to exist."

Her tone was not loud, but it was sharp and allowed no further conversation. The two sat in silence as she drove. Nines began to stiffen when he realized she wasn't driving them to her apartment. She was taking him back to the precinct. When they arrived, she pulled up right to the front of the building. They sat there for several moments. The android did not move.

"Nines..." Samantha began.

"I apologize," the android cut her off. "I do not understand human death. I do not know the proper response to it."

"You work in homicide." Her tone was annoyed, accusing, as she gripped the steering wheel.

"I know that killing a human is wrong. It is tragic for those who cared for the victim. But an organic form that was never properly alive, is it then truly a death?"

She looked back at the steering wheel for a moment. "It's like that movie Looper. It was tragic because all possibilities of what a person could be die with them. The main character, we knew, would have lived on to be a better person, to have a better life with a family. When he died in the present, that possibility was gone. The happy life was over.

"The girl in the hospital had none. If she had survived, what would she have done with her life? We don't know. All the possibilities died when she died. Even though I didn't know her, I feel a loss. Do you understand that feeling?"

He watched her pragmatically. "No. When something is there, then it's there. When someone is not there, then it's not there. That is just reality."

"What if Gavin was killed? Would that mean anything?" she demanded. "What if I dropped you off here and never saw you again. Does that even matter? Does _anything_ matter to you?"

She hadn't meant to be so mean, but that was the truth of it. The novelty of the RK900 was wearing off. He was a beautiful, well-built machine, but just a machine. There was a certain frustration that came with interacting with a being that gave nothing back. Was this how it was for people who had non-deviated androids in their households? Is this why humankind was still so reluctant to accept androids as their equals?

He was an emotional black hole and Samantha was so tired. "Please get out. I would rather you not come over for a few days."

The android's hand rested on the door handle, but he did not open it. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

_Are you?_ She wanted to shout back. But she knew the pain she felt wasn't his fault, and she was taking it out on him. It was not his fault he was programmed the way he was, whether he was just a machine or not.

She let out a heavy sigh and put a hand on his leg above the knee. Guilt already crawled through her. "I will text before bed, so you know I'm home safe."

Nines looked at the hand touching him. Humans didn't touch him much. Mostly it was Gavin who gave him a punch on the shoulder a slap to the back. This human was the only one that touched him casually, and cared if he could feel it. He recalled in the car when they drove from the hospital, she had thanked him and put her hand on his. He did that for her now and felt her body shudder.

Their gazes met and a single tear escaped her. Nines reached out and caught it with his thumb. He felt the texture of it between his fingers.

"Do you feel? Anything at all?" she asked; desperate. Hopeful.

"I don't know," the android answered. Then he left the car.

* * *

.

Samantha stared at her phone. She hadn't seen Nines for a few days; she missed him. Their last conversation stayed with her and she rolled it round and round in her head. It had been her fault she had taken his comment so badly. She could have chosen to ignore it, or try to understand where he was coming from. She was the one directing the conversation. Nines, as always, was just a leaf in the wind, swaying in whatever direction those around him blew.

But the conversation did bring up a question that continued to haunt her. Did he feel? Did he _care_? For her, or for anyone? He had to, right? That time on the 4th of July when he found her crying, when he cupped his hands over her ears and watched her so carefully. When he got so mad at the man who stabbed her. That he kept coming to see her while she lived alone.

That meant something. Nines wasn't just pantomiming actions that seemed to be caring. He wasn't programmed to comfort, to be as soft as she had seen him at times. There was something real about him. So then didn't that make him a deviant? And if he was deviant why didn't he emote? Was it because he couldn't? Was this the result of making an android that was supposedly deviant-resistant? He could feel inwardly, but not show it?

She didn't know. She wished Connor was there so she could ask him. Samantha continued staring at her phone, the text thread with Nines on the screen. She wanted to tell him it was okay to come over. She wished to express she missed him and wanted to see him. But she didn't know how.

The knock on her door startled her. Was it Nines? Had he missed her, too? She hurried to answer and yanked open the door with a bright smile. There, her face froze. There was an android at her door. It wasn't Nines.

She had never met him before, but she knew who he was. She had been obsessed with him when she first saw his face on TV. There was a time when she would have been ecstatic to meet him. After that horrible December, she had tried not to hate him. Now that he was at her door, she didn't know what to do.

"Hello," the android greeted kindly. He was soft spoken, almost self-conscious. Not the commanding proud figure she had seen on the news. He looked so casual on her doorstep in jeans and a nice, black shirt. "Are you Samantha Hall?"

"Yes," she said in a soft voice.

He removed the sunglasses he didn't need to wear. She wondered if he had them on to somewhat conceal his face. "My name is Markus."

"I know." She could barely breathe.

He glanced down the hall, then back at her. "May I come in?"

She realized that maybe Markus was taking a risk, coming to her apartment like this. Stepping aside, she motioned him in. Her heart raced, though she appeared calm.

"Thank you." He stepped inside as she closed the door, looked around and then said, "I'm Markus."

"You said that."

"Right, sorry." He rubbed his arm and glanced around again. This was not the same android she imagined him to be.

"What can I help you with?"

"I wanted to—" He looked at her and paused, noticing for the first time the bandaged stub of her arm. It was healed pretty well now. Mostly the bandages were to cover the nasty scar and stitches. She was healed enough for them to come out any day. Just in time to go back into surgery for her new prosthetic.

"You've been hurt."

She glanced at it. "It's fine. I still have another arm."

He barked out a noise of amusement and then tried to school himself. "Okay. I'm..."

"You're Markus, I'm Samantha. Can I help you with something? Are you looking for Connor? He's not here right now."

That seemed to get him on track. "I came to speak to you. Do you mind if we sit?"

She blew out a long breath. It just seemed like one thing after another. She didn't want to sit. She didn't want to have any sort of conversation with him. Yet, they both settled on the couch. This time, Samantha did not press for conversation and waited for Markus to speak his mind.

"I wanted to tell you in person that I'm sorry." He said it sincerely, his gaze meeting hers as he leaned forward, knees on his elbows. "I wasn't made aware of what happened to Connor—uh, the Connor that lived in Chicago—until recently."

"The Connor here told you," she surmised.

"Yes. I didn't know why he never came to meet us." He glanced away, then returned his gaze. "I didn't even think about if he had anyone at home who loved him, who needed him. There was only the cause. I keep thinking if I had never reached out, you would still have him."

That was what Samantha thought, too. Over and over in her head and she would see-saw between hating Markus and knowing that it was wrong. She just never thought she would have to come to solid terms with it.

"It wasn't your fault," she said. It was a painful truth to admit. "It was mine. I insisted that he go. I promised him I would be alright while he was gone. Then...then I made such a horrible, stupid decision. My stupidity killed him. I wanted to hate you over what happened, but he died because of me."

Markus had looked away again during the confession. She had done well holding back the grief in her voice, but when he looked back at her, a tear was running down her cheek. She forced a smile through her pain when he watched her.

"You didn't have to come here, Markus. You don't have anything to be sorry for."

He reached out and took her hand. "I am still so very sorry you lost this person you loved."

Samantha couldn't stop searching his face, couldn't stop squeezing the hand that held hers. In the past year and a half, she had become used to having androids in her life. She learned to recognize them from humans by their speech and actions, even though both looked the same. Markus was his own kind of experience. His hand felt like an android's, but everything about how he moved and spoke, she would have thought he was human.

"Thank you," she managed to whisper as another tear slid down. She recovered her hand so she could wipe it away.

Silence grew between them.

"So..." Markus ventured. "I'm honestly not sure what to do now. I can go if you'd like me to..."

She let out a small laugh. "I don't know either. I've always wanted to meet you. I was so jealous Connor was going to have that opportunity. But I was also happy for him. I thought you would change his life for the better. Give him more purpose and direction. I never wanted to meet you in this way. Yet, here you are at my door and I have no idea what to do."

Through all this, Markus smiled, clearly flattered. "Then, can I take you to lunch?"

* * *

.

He took her to a little cafe she had never been before. At least half of the wait staff were androids there, though it wasn't openly advertised. They were human by all appearances, but Samantha had been around enough deviated androids that she could tell. They all knew Markus and seemed both flattered and surprised to see him.

He and Samantha were led to a table in the back. Markus didn't take his sunglasses off until they were seated, he with his back to the rest of the other diners. He clearly worried about being recognized, even though he had been the one to invite her out in public. The waitress, an android, took their drink orders and scurried off, clearly flustered at who was sitting at her table. Samantha sat silently, watching Markus. She didn't know what to say to him.

Samantha was brought a glass of ice water was brought to her and Markus received a few fingers of deep blue thirium. He took a sip in the silence. Markus, of course, couldn't eat anything else at the restaurant, but Samantha ordered a soup and sandwich.

"I'm assuming you don't go out much," she then said when Markus took another glance behind him.

"Not since, well, everything that's happened."

"But you used to?"

"Yes. Quite a bit, actually, and often on my own. The man I lived with had health problems. He couldn't always go out. He would send me all over the city. I liked it. Now, there's no way I could get away with that."

The 'man he lived with' would have been his owner. Samantha found it funny that she had never thought about him being owned by anyone before that day. But of course he had.

"You couldn't claim you were just another of the same model?"

"There is no other model like me. I am literally one of a kind."

"Yeah?" Samantha perked up, interested. "Do you have a model number? Or is that rude to ask?"

He shook his head with a smile. "I'm an RK200."

"You're an RK, too?" she exclaimed with excitement. Much higher and louder than she meant to in her excitement. She quickly schooled herself. "So does that make you kind of related to Connor, being in the same RK family?"

Markus looked thoughtful. "I'm honestly not sure. I've never thought of it like that."

"Someone told me the RK's were Elijah Kamski's personal line of androids. Is that true?"

"I don't think that's true of the RK800s. Kamski had already left Cyberlife by then. But I was built by him."

"And you were the only one made of your model."

"Right."

"Is that lonely? Or does it make you feel special?"

"I don't know. I've just always been who I am and I've been fine with it."

"What if you met an android that was the same model as you? What would you do?"

He gave a laugh. "You ask strange questions."

Samantha's eyes widened and her cheeks grew a little red. "Sorry, I was being more nosy than I should have. I don't get to meet many androids, I got excited. I think all of you are so fascinating. I like learning about you. But you can tell me if I ask about something that's none of my business."

Her food was brought in at that moment. Samantha couldn't help but notice that her android waitress gave her a bit of the side-eye. Judging her for being human with this android legend? Jealous? Samantha didn't blame her. She would have been jealous, too, if the roles had been reversed.

So she paid the waitress no mind and looked down at her hefty sandwich. Her immediate reflex was to lift both hands to take it. But then remembered she only had one.

"Shit," she said softly as she tried to figure it out. "Why did I order this?"

Markus barked out a laugh that surprised her. "Here." He reached over and took the knife at the side of her plate and carefully cut the sandwich into quarters.

Samantha tried not to let it show that her heart melted for him right there, even though it was such a small gesture. "Thank you."

He nodded to her arm. "I'm assuming this is something that didn't happen to you recently, but Connor also told me you were attacked."

"I had a prosthetic. That was enough to make this man believe I was an android." She tried to make her voice as neutral as possible. "He cut my arm with a knife and damaged the prosthetic. I've had to let it heal before I can get a new arm."

"I'm sorry that happened," Markus said, very sincere.

"I'm sorry we live in a world where worse could have happened to me had I been an android. It sounds like a terrifying way to live." She paused, considering the question she wanted to ask. She decided to just go out and say it. "Can I ask why you've never made any sort of official comment on the RA9 murders?"

His eyes widened. She wished he still had an LED to help her read what he was thinking. He took so long to answer, she thought he might instead just get up and leave.

"I didn't think I should get involved," he finally replied. "This has nothing to do with me or Jericho."

"Nobody else knows that, though. Androids are murdering people. No one knows who they are or why they're doing this. Humans are panicking. In their fear, they're hurting androids, your people. Don't you think you should do something?"

He set his jaw, fighting to keep his voice low. "Why does it have to be me? Why am I the only one who has to do something? Of all the androids in the city, I'm the only one who has a responsibility to say something?"

"You're the voice of android rights. You are the one who dared to speak up for your people."

"I'm the one that got many of my people killed," Markus hissed back.

Samantha blinked at him and Markus glanced away.

"I made many bold decisions," he told the floor. "And every time my people turned to me, followed me, more ended up dead. Yet, I couldn't stop. I didn't know what was going to happen, but everything was already in motion. We could only run forward, continue with our message. Then, it was to try to save the lives of our kind as we were systematically wiped out. By then, no matter what I did—if I stopped or if I kept going—androids were going to die. I don't ever want to be in that position again."

He didn't look up until he felt Samantha's touch on his hand.

"They're still dying," she reminded softly. "I know everything about this is so unfair. But humans and androids alike have been waiting for you to say something. Even if it's just to say what most of us already know: that this isn't what androids want. Deviancy and freedom isn't the gateway to hurt others and most androids just want to live their lives. These few murders do not represent the heart of your people."

Markus watched her with his brows drawn, frowning slightly.

"Sorry, I'm done preaching," she then said, pulling back. "I'm being an insufferable know-it-all and now you're probably regretting ever inviting me out. I wish I was more useful to you, but I am useless. All this advice is probably useless, too. I'll stop talking."

She punctuated her word vomit with a heavy breath and then shut her mouth.

Through all this, Markus listened with his chin on his palm, not giving away a single thought. "I actually find you refreshing."

"Me? But I'm so quiet and boring. And clearly self-righteous."

His mouth ticked up. "I miss talking to humans. You reminded me of that."

"Is it really so different?" she wondered, going back to her sandwich.

"Isn't it for you?"

She thought about it. "Yeah, actually. I can tell if I'm talking to an android or a human. It is different. Not with you though. I'm not sure why. You have really pretty eyes, by the way."

He blinked at the sudden turn of subject and lightly touched the corner of his eye. "This one is a used part. My original was damaged."

"It's not the colors, it's...the shape maybe? And the sculpt of the brows. They're both intense and soft at the same time."

Markus raised those sculpted brows at her.

"I'm afraid android flattery is one of my favorite hobbies. Would it be okay if I took a picture with you?"

"What are you going to use it for?" he asked. She was changing topics so fast, he wasn't sure how to react to the question.

"To show Connor when he gets back."

Markus suddenly wondered if Connor would approve. There had to be a reason he hadn't shared anything about his girlfriend with them. Having met her, he wasn't sure why that was. He stood and walked over to her, holding out his hand.

"Here, I'll take it."

She gave him her phone and he crouched down next to her, smiling for the camera. Upon inspecting the picture, he noticed the others in her cache.

"I see there's plenty of Connor in here."

"That's not Connor."

Markus looked closer at the face similar to the RK800. But the eyes were ice blue, the brow more severe. "That _isn't_ Connor," he agreed.

"That's Nines. He also works for the police department. He's an RK900. I guess like an upgraded version of the RK800? I'm not entirely sure what all that entails. But he's been letting me practice my photography skills while I've been bored at home."

"They're not bad," Markus said, still scrolling. "You've got an eye for composition."

"Thanks!" She took the phone back. "An amateur eye. I'm still learning. But I am really enjoying having an android as a subject." She glanced up at Markus as he resumed his seat. "Let me know if you'd ever consider being my next model."

"Are you coming onto me?"

"I might," Samantha said as she looked at the selfie they took. "If I didn't already have a boyfriend. Cuz, damn." She showed him the picture of himself.

Markus laughed. Something he hadn't done in a very long time. "Do you want to do something else after this?"

* * *

.

It was dark when Samantha returned home. Walking up the hall, she saw a talk, striking figure standing at her door, just watching it. He wasn't moving, didn't try to knock. She wondered how long he had been there, waiting. It was past curfew. He shouldn't be out.

"Nines."

He looked up as she approached. His face almost looked happy to see her, then hesitant. "You weren't answering your phone."

"Sorry, I was out with a friend so I put the phone away."

He stepped aside as she unlocked the door and did not attempt to enter until she held it open, motioning to come in. There he stood as she closed the door after him. He had an uncertainty to his body language.

"Is it alright that I came?"

In such a good mood from her day, she didn't even think about her actions as she hugged him. She felt his body stiffen at the contact.

"Of course it is. I'm sorry I got upset over something that wasn't your fault. I missed you." She pulled back and he looked as if he wanted to say something. "You can say it," she grinned. "You can say you missed me."

He didn't. Maybe he genuinely couldn't because of his programming. But his expression softened and his LED turned blue and calm.

"Is your surgery still scheduled for tomorrow morning?" he asked instead.

"Yup. Gonna finally get the 'ol right hand back."

"Would you like me to go with you?"

She smiled at him, happy for his company, though sad Connor still hadn't come back home. She had so wished he would make it back for this.

"Yes. I'd love it if you could come with me. Thanks! Now how about we spend the night on some movies?"

He smiled softly again. "I...would like that."


	11. Chapter 11: Catharsis

**.**

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Eleven: Catharsis**

The surgery wasn't as big a deal as Samantha thought it would be. They didn't even put her under. They merely numbed the arm and performed the operation on the other side of a sheet. It was still a little scary though. The doctors allowed Nines to stay by her side during the procedure. He dutifully held her hand the entire time.

The advanced prosthetic was surgically attached to her arm, hooked up to the nerves enough that she felt touch and texture, but not enough that the arm felt pain. It also made the hand have a faster reaction time. Maybe this new one would even be fast enough to keep up when she played the piano.

Of course, she was a little too drugged to try just then. The surgeon approved her for release and sent her home with pain medication and antibiotics to prevent any post-op infection. Nines sat beside her in an automated taxi to make sure she arrived home okay. She was unsteady on her feet, walking the three floors to her apartment, but was lucid enough to take care of herself. Still, Nines followed her in and looked in the mood to stay as long as she would have him.

Samantha was happy to let him stay. It was nice to not be alone. She was so thankful to have the RK900 this past month and a half and she told him so.

"You're welcome," he said casually, though his LED flickered as if he was struggling with something.

She looked at her new right hand. It was nice to get the dominant hand back. Trying to do certain things with her left, like writing a note, always ended in disaster. Her arm was still entirely numb, but she could control the hand well enough. Another reason to have it surgically connected to her body was so she could will the synthetic skin away with just a thought.

When she did, she made such a horrified noise, Nines was immediately next to her, LED in the yellow.

"What happened?" he asked.

"My arm! It's black!" She stared at the very cutting-edge type of prosthetic made of a sleek, black shell with stainless steel accents.

"Is that a problem?" Nines wondered.

"It used to be white!" She paused. "Wow, that made me sound weirdly racist. What I meant was that my arm looked the same as Connor's underneath the skinthetic. I liked that we were made of the same stuff. It made me feel closer to him. But...I guess it's really not that important. It was just kind of nice to have something in common."

Nines sat next to her on the couch and then rolled up the sleeve of his favorite black sweater. When his skin receded, it revealed that he too was made of a black shell and stainless steel.

"This new material is supposed to be lighter and sturdier. It can withhold greater pressure and stress. It's what makes me stronger, faster and more durable than the RK800. Now, you are stronger as well."

She leaned back and watched her fingers move, then compared them to the larger hand. "That actually makes me feel a little better. Thank you."

Again, he nodded and gave the automatic response, "You're welcome."

* * *

.

"The leader of the androids goes by the name Orion," Agent Perkins said to the group of FBI Agents and police officers. On the screen to his left were still images taken from Connor's memory files of Orion and his inner circle. "So far, the working theory is that only these five were involved in the abduction and murder of our victims. We're still interviewing all the other androids taken from the site, but they don't seem to have had any clue this was going on.

"We don't know much yet about the other four, but we do have Orion's serial number." He glanced over at Connor who was standing at the back of the room, but refused to give him any credit. Perkins was livid when he found out that this fucking android had gone behind his back for some secret undercover mission. And there was nothing he could do about it. Connor and Hank maintained the entire operation was to recover the missing lioness model from the Cyberlife Zoo. And they did. There was nothing Perkins could do about it and it was absolutely satisfying to watch him silently burn with rage.

"We traced the android's owner records," Perkins continued. "It's registered to Max and Penelope Witman. Wealthy couple, respectable, lived in a nice neighborhood." He flipped to another picture. "Their bodies were found murdered in their home back in March. Suspects were never found. No prints, no DNA at the crime scene. No mention of RA9. No sign of the android when police arrived on scene. We're now treating this as part of the murder spree.

"We've already sent officers back to the neighborhood to ask about the android. We're looking into the others as well. All the androids of this group have custom faces. This is very common among rich neighborhoods. We're exploring the possibility that all the androids came from the same area."

"Any other murders or attacks in this neighborhood?" Officer Miller asked.

"Not that we know of yet," Perkins said. "I'll leave that to your people to search for any previous reports that may connect to this. And for the love of God, keep everyone in the loop this time."

Again, that comment was directed toward Connor, who could have cared less. He was the one that broke the case open and everyone knew it. He didn't even need to be there for this meeting. There was nothing covered that he hadn't already researched himself. However, there was one agent present that he wished to talk to.

Special Agent Kent Stringham was not part of the initial task force. He had just been brought in when all the androids from the RA9 community were collected. He was apart from Agent Perkins. On the same level, but with a different responsibility. It was up to him what happened to these androids as they were being interrogated and after. He was an older man, hair already gone white before its time, and clearly a seasoned agent.

When Connor saw his opening, he approached. "Agent Stringham, I wanted to talk to you about the androids you have in your custody."

The agent had clearly not seen Connor with his real face. He balked for a second, but then seemed to realize who he was talking to. "Yes?"

"May I ask what will happen to them? Most of these androids had no idea what was going on in their community. They were just looking for a place where they would be safe and left alone. They did not wish harm upon anyone else, human or otherwise."

Agent Stringham nodded absently, clearly not as interested in the conversation as Connor. "Yes, we find that to be the case with many cults. The group at large is brainwashed to merely listen and obey. They are not privy to the religious leader's ultimate plan until it happens. However, we still need to investigate each one to find out who did know and who did not. It will be a lengthy process."

"I am willing to assist where ever I can. There is also a particular android that I would like to help." He showed the agent a picture of a female model on his palm. "Her name is Lily. I know for a fact that she had only been brought into the community maybe a day or two ago. She will be of no use to the investigation. If possible, I would like her to be released. I have made arrangements for a local android group to take her in."

Agent Stringham looked at the picture with a mild expression. "She's very pretty." The accusatory tone in his voice said it wasn't a compliment. "These things need to be done in the proper order. Without more evidence to the contrary, she will need to go through the screening process like all the others."

Connor caught the subtext. To get something, he had to give something. "May I suggest starting your investigation with this android. His name is Andrew. He wasn't with the group, but they often communicated with them. He seemed to be the caretaker of the main RA9 effigy. I'm quite certain he will know more than the vast majority of the others."

The agent pulled out his phone. "Please text that picture to me and I'll check to see if he's among our numbers. Thank you." He turned to leave, but paused and looked back at Connor. "You said you wanted to help? Will you come with me? Perhaps you can help us fast track the more pertinent androids, and then we can also see about getting your friend processed in a timely fashion."

Connor perked up. "Yes, I would be happy to be of assistance."

* * *

.

All the androids were being kept in a large hangar on a commandeered air strip. It was the only place the feds could find big enough to house them all. When Connor saw them, detained and confused, his heart went out to his people. This undercover mission had allowed him to truly understand the hardship of being a deviated android with no place to go. Before, he thought he was already doing the best he could do for not just his people, but all the people of Detroit by upholding the law and catching bad guys. Only now did he truly understand that his profession did very little to help his people in the way they needed the most.

With eyes now open, Connor vowed to do better, to be more aware, to help if he could. His first task was to help as many of these misplaced androids as he was able. He set to work, handpicking androids from the crowd. He identified those who were brought into the fold during the time he was at the community. Androids that clearly would have no knowledge of any deep secrets.

Those who seemed to have been there the longest, including Andrew, were also identified. It was difficult to do; it felt like a betrayal. But upholding the law was still Connor's job. If they knew anything, they needed to be interrogated. If anyone present was guilty of breaking the law, they still had to be arrested, android or not.

Connor focused on helping those he could at present. He stuck to Agent Stringham like glue until the first group of androids were cleared to be released. Even though the law stated that if they weren't being arrested they _should_ be released, it still took some negotiating. The federal agents didn't trust any of these androids, whether they knew anything or not. Connor had to make many assurances that they were not going right back to the street. He had been in contact with Jericho—an android group that was known for their peaceful ways and where steadfastly adhering to the current android curfews and restrictions. Only then did Stringham reluctantly agree to let this small group of androids go.

A bus pulled up to take them to New Jericho. Alas, there weren't enough androids to fill it, but saving some was better than saving none at all. As the androids climbed inside one by one, he saw her.

"Lily."

The female android paused and blinked her big blue eyes at him. "Yes?"

He held out his hand. "Hello, my name is Connor. We met when I was in disguise, working undercover. I told you my name was Conrad."

She blinked at him more, her LED flickering into yellow. "Conrad?" She reached up to his face. Connor leaned forward to allow her touch. "You have the same eyes. The same voice." Then she pulled away. "You tricked me. You lied to me."

"I had to for my job. I'm sorry. There were androids in this community that were murderers. I had to find them to stop the killing."

"Did you?" she asked.

He looked away. "No. I tried, but the androids that have been hurting people got away."

"Then why are you here?"

His gaze returned to her. "I promised I would help you. I'm going to help all of you, if I can. I hope this is but the first group I'm going to take to New Jericho."

She looked hopeful for a split second, then disappointed. "You're just taking us from one community to another. How long before the humans round us up there, too?"

Connor took her hand, rubbed it with his thumb. "This place is different. You don't just sit in old buildings that are falling apart around you. They help you live as you want to live. If you want to hide away from humans, they let you. If you want to have your own place, find a job, be out in the world, they will help you do that, too. They are better than this, Lily. I promise you."

She searched his face, hope clear in her expression. Connor could see what the past few days had done to her. She had once been trusting when she invited him to her home. She had trusted the android community when they coaxed her into their fold. Then they were raided by humans, rounded up by gun point and taken away. It must have been terrifying for all of them. Connor hoped there was still enough trust left in her to get her to a place where she was truly safe.

"Will you be coming with us?" she asked.

He smiled. "Yes. I am here to personally escort you all to New Jericho."

She brightened. With her hand still in his, she led the way to the bus. Connor followed and they sat next to each other. Lily pulled his hand into her lap and he let her hold it all the way to the other side of the city.

When they reached the neighborhood of New Jericho, Lily's hand tightened on his. He squeezed back, encouraging her to come with him toward her new, better life. When they departed the bus, Josh and North were there to greet them. Connor had told North especially about Lily's history and the redhead greeted her with a big hug.

Connor smiled as he watched Lily's expression go from surprise and then soften at the physical affection. North pulled back, hand on her shoulders. "You're safe here." She looked at the others. "All of you are safe. Welcome at Jericho."

North threw a smile Connor's way. Josh shook his hand before they led their new members away.

Lily paused and turned back to him. "Connor, are you not coming with us?"

"I can't stay, I have to help the others. I'm going to bring them all to Jericho if I can."

"Will you come back to visit me?"

He smiled. "Yes. I will come back to see how you are doing here."

She reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I'll hold you to that."

* * *

.

Connor returned to the precinct to check in with Hank instead of going immediately back to the hangar. He had done what he could to get the first wave of androids out. He knew if he was there too much, the agents would find him to be more of a pest that an asset and would be less likely to continue to cooperate. He would give Stringham a break from him before going back there.

When the taxi pulled up, Connor found a group of reporters camped outside the precinct. Had a press conference been announced? He checked online news feeds and found that the faces of Orion and his group were released to the public in his absence. Good. Now that the people knew their faces, they wouldn't be able to hide so easily.

When he walked up to the building, the reporters didn't pay much attention at first. And then someone said "Hey, that's an android." Then he had everyone's focus as they surrounded him.

"You're an android," a male voice called to him. "Are you here because of the RA9 murders?"

"I work for the Detroit Police in the homicide department," Connor responded.

"So you are working the RA9 murders," a female reporter said.

Connor knew that both the department and the FBI was very particular about what was said to the press about the case. He chose his words carefully. "I am a part of the team that has been working this case."

"As an android, what is your opinion of these androids who have been killing humans?" a male reporter asked.

The question surprised him. "Both humans and androids must follow the law. If you hurt another person, you should be arrested."

"Many people have expressed fear that these murders are just the gateway to other copycat killers. That there will be other androids hunting down and killing humans. Do you think that will be a possibility?"

Connor blinked at the question. He was starting to understand why the precinct liked to only do controlled press releases. "I don't. These murders have terrified the android communities as well. They don't feel safe, either. Many of them are sad for the human families and their loss. Deviated androids want to be a part of this community like the humans are. They don't wish anyone harm. They just want to live their lives without being afraid. Now please excuse me."

He quickly pushed through the reporters to the front door as more questions were yelled at his back. The reporters, however, did not follow him in and he thankfully made it to his desk without any other distractions.

"Oh hey, you're back," Hank said as he arrived. He glanced at the time on his phone. "Day's almost over. You could just call it good and go home."

"Can't stop yet," Connor insisted. "They're still out there, a danger to everyone. Has there been any updates while I was gone?"

"Well, let's see. While you were out, they took Nines to the crime scene to help process everything. They opened up the drains at that meat plant and found several different blood samples. So far, each one has matched one of our vics. And we got those androids' faces out to the news. A tip line's already been set up."

"Yes, I saw that on the news feed. Anything from the officers investigating the neighborhood of Orion's previous owners?"

"Not sure yet. I think they're still out asking questions."

"Alright, I'm going to go over there and see if I can be of assistance."

"You're really going full tilt on this case," Hank said.

Connor leaned against the desk. "I learned a lot when I was out there. I realized I had no idea what it was like to be a deviated android out on the street. I want to help the others that are in custody. The fastest way to do that is to catch our perpetrators. It will end the city's paranoia, the android curfew, and the rest of the RA9 followers can then be released."

"Just remember it's okay to give yourself a break now and then. You don't need to make this case your whole life. We have an entire capable team of agents and officers helping. And you have definitely done your part. It's okay to give someone else the reigns while you take some time to recharge."

Connor nodded. "I understand, Hank. I would still like to check up on things. Would you like to come with me?"

Feeling that maybe Connor hadn't been listening as much as he claimed, Hank just shrugged. At least he could keep an eye on the kid to make sure he wasn't overdoing it. "You know what? Sure. Let's go."

* * *

.

Even though she had returned just fine from surgery, The sterile hospital rooms, the scrape of steel tools haunted her in her dreams. Samantha felt herself back in those stark, cold places that smelled like cleaner and stainless steel. That smell that was the opposite of anything warm and human. She was strapped down on a table as people with surgical masks hiding their faces hovered all around her.

She tried to tell them to let her go, that she wasn't under yet, but she couldn't move her mouth or speak a sound. One of the faceless masks had a scalpel in his hand. It glittered cleanly in the bright lights.

"Alright, she's asleep," a voice said from the dream personnel. "Let's take our samples."

Samantha tried to scream not to cut her, but nothing came out. Her mouth didn't move, her vocal cords didn't react. She watched in horror as several sharp, perfect blades cut into her skin. Her arms and legs, her face, her stomach.

Samantha sat upright with a gasping sobbing sound. She touched her body and limbs, making sure they were all in tact. She could move, she could speak. Her heart was jumping into her throat. She closed her eyes as the panic took over. Adrenaline pumping, heart racing so hard it hurt her chest. It felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Her mind was still back in yet another sterile lab full of faceless people who didn't care if she was hurt. They only cared about taking.

It took a while to get her senses back. It had been a while since she had a panic attack this bad. The first time ever she had a nightmare about the lab instead of being attacked. It that moment, it seemed fearfully easy to slide right back onto a stainless steel table and be used as an experiment instead of a person. Sitting in the dark, she hugged herself and shivered. Tried to breathe.

"You're okay, you're okay," she muttered over and over to herself; tried to will herself to believe it.

She still felt stuck there, trapped in a lab, waiting to be dissected. She had to break from the obsessive thought cycle. Pulling herself out of bed, she willed her body to move. She shook her arms to rid them of the vague numbness that lingered. She winced when her arm hurt. It would still be painful for a couple days. Swinging the arm around wasn't a good idea.

Retreating to the bathroom, she exposed herself to the harsh lighting.

_I am alone in my bathroom, I am fine,_ she thought to herself. _I am safe and I'm fine._

Her heart didn't think so. Neither did the constant pump of adrenaline. It jump-started her body and sent an electric current through her skin. She had to get her medication. There was no way she could stop this from escalating on her own.

While waiting for the medication to kick in, she wandered the dim apartment. Only the hall light was left on. As she paced back and forth, she fiddled with her phone. If only Connor was back. She would give anything to have him at her door.

She had Nines brought up on her text message. What if she asked him to come over? She knew he would if she asked. But she also knew he had been called in to work. Though she wasn't aware of why or how long it would take. He could still be working, or he could be hanging around at the precinct. Even though it was the middle of the night, there was always someone there.

She wrote the RK900 a message, deleted it. Wrote another and deleted it again. No, she didn't want to bother him. This wasn't his problem. When Connor died, she had to deal with this all on her own and she got better. But then again, that was in Chicago, where she had her friends living in the same house. Here, she was truly alone, isolated.

At this point, she realized she was still shivering because of a small post-op fever. She found herself a thick hoodie and went back to her phone. Sitting on the couch, she pulled up some old photos. While Nines was her first attempt at real photography, he wasn't the first android she had ever taken a picture of.

Samantha had tried not to look at these. She hadn't the entire time she had been in Detroit. Her therapist, when she actually went to one, said that her behavior toward the photos was too obsessive and she needed to stop in order to move on. She hadn't looked at them since. It had been so hard to break the habit.

This was different, she decided. This wasn't to obsessively wallow in her loss. She simply needed him right now so she wouldn't be alone. Curled up on the couch, she dared to finally pull up her old photos of Connor. There weren't many. She always thought she had time to take all the photos she wanted. There were a few candid pictures. Three snapshots she had taken of him around the house when he wasn't paying attention.

Her favorite was the fourth. A picture of him in bed, his bare torso poking out of the sheets. His hair a little disheveled from the night. He looked at the camera with an eyebrow quirked as if to ask what she was doing. The only other file she had of him was a brief video taken at the same time as the last photo. Samantha paused before bringing it up. Letting out a long breath, she pressed the play button.

There was Connor, still bare-chested in bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Samantha felt chills at the sound of his voice. This voice that came directly from him, spoken only in the way he spoke.

"Just showing the camera how cute you are," her voice replied back on the video.

He reached for her and the camera jerked away.

"Hold on, I'm not done," her voice said.

He relaxed against the pillow, watching her in such a soft, content way that it made her heart ache. This was the morning he had left for Detroit. They were doing so good at this point. When they first fled the facility, the stress and anxiety had shut Samantha down emotionally. She tried, but she wasn't as affectionate or interested in intimacy. She always thought there would be time to get better.

And it had been getting better by that point. After freeing the android death camp, something about Connor had changed. Instead of a silent, patient presence at her side, he had turned into an active supporter. He made her eat, get enough sleep, make positive goals for herself. His support made her want to work harder. She felt better by the day and was falling for him all over again.

She remembered having half a mind to make love to him that morning before he left, despite her insistence that she wouldn't do that in someone else's house. In the end, Connor made her put down the phone and they settled for a slow, sweet makeout session before breakfast. Samantha had promised herself that when he came back, this time she would make intense, thorough love to him. She always thought there was time. That was always her last thought of him when she dipped into her memories: she always thought there would be more time with him. Time slipped from them like the breeze through her fingers.

She watched the short video again and again, willing it to go longer. Just a few more seconds of Connor; his smile, another word or two in his gentle voice. The memory always cut too soon and she would continue to lay on her couch in the dark and quickly watch it again.

* * *

.

Connor worked through the night—a bloodhound on the trail. After speaking with other detectives, he found out two other androids in Orion's gang were identified as owned by other people in the same neighborhood. Gage's original name was William. His previous owners no longer lived in the area, but were expected to still be alive and perfectly fine.

Terrance's owners still live there. His name had always been Terrance. They reported that they hadn't ever noticed him being off before he disappeared on them. Though they admitted to being the type of owners who tried to keep their androids from deviating. Many people in the neighborhood had.

Apparently, it was all the rage for the upper class to throw "Android Parties" where people would show off their newest models, or new custom modifications. The androids would be dressed in themed costumes and made to serve and entertain the guests. No one had androids now, they had all mysteriously disappeared from their homes. But only the Witmans had died for this lifestyle.

When the neighbors were questioned about the Witmans and their android, they would get strangely silent. Then the gossip would spill out.

"The android was one of _those_ kind," one older woman said when Officer Chris Miller questioned her. "I only bought mine to clean and tend the flower garden. But they were doing _other _things with it. The wife and husband both. Mr. Witman liked to play both sides of the field. I lived next door. I could see in the windows what they were doing. And they kept it no secret at the parties. Mrs. Witman especially would hang all over that android, being very inappropriate with it."

"What would you say about the demeanor of the android before the murders?"

"It seemed to like it just as much as they did. At least as well as those things can like something. Still, it's a shame what happened to them. No one deserves that." She paused and then added, "Do you think you could find my missing android? She's been gone for months."

Chris was incredulous at the question. "You know this android brutally murdered his owners. And you want yours _back_?"

"Well, I paid a lot of money for my Melissa. I commissioned all these costumes for her. Even bought her a beautiful new face and voice modulator. I purchased her. She's mine."

Chris let those words hang for a moment, then said, "Ma'am, we don't own people in this country anymore."

* * *

.

When all the neighbors had been questioned, Connor gathered the findings and went back to the precinct. A request for the Witman murder case file was sent to the precinct who covered the case. In the meantime, Connor kept his ear to the ground on the android tip line. He looked into every tip that sounded reasonable. Checked every traffic and store cam he could to confirm if the sightings were legitimate. Nothing came of it.

Near dawn, he radioed Nines to touch base. Nines was still helping the Feds' RK800 process the many, many buildings that made up the android cult community. Conner requested a heads up if anything pertinent was found.

As the sun came up the next morning, Connor grew uninterested in continuing to chase down false leads. He went back to the hanger to see if he could fast track the release of any more androids. Stringham was not pleased to see him so soon. Connor stayed passive and patient, offering to help in anyway he could. If he could help interview, confirm any information they had uncovered. Give something to get something.

He had asked to interview Andrew, but Stringham would not let him near their suspect. It made Connor wonder if they had discovered anything they didn't want to share with the police. By the end of the day, however, he was allowed to take another small group to Jericho.

* * *

.

It was nearly 8 PM when Connor returned to the precinct, prepared to do the whole thing over again. Hank was still there. He had been working afternoons and evenings recently. He nodded when Connor came in and sat at his desk.

Across the room, Gavin's annoyed voice boomed as he wandered into the bullpen.

"I don't care if you still need him, he's police. You had him nearly twenty-four hours and I called him back so he can do his damn job. We've got other cases here. Assholes." Gavin said the last word as he hung up the phone and tossed it on his desk. "Damn Feds think they can take our case away and magically it's the only murder that will happen in this God-forsaken town."

He was about to sit down when he noticed Connor. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been out in the field for a month and a half. Go the fuck home."

"You've still been working the entire time you came back?" Hank demanded. "But you keep leaving the precinct. I thought you were going to your girlfriend's place."

"The case hasn't been closed yet," Connor said with pragmatism. "The murderers are still out there."

"Sam's gonna kill you," Gavin said with a certain glee.

"She knows this is important."

"No girl is that forgiving."

Connor looked to Hank for backup. He raised his hands to indicate he would have no part in this argument.

"It's none of your business, Detective," Connor then said.

Gavin stalked over, putting his face inches away from Connor's. "Listen you walking dildo, I am trying to do you a favor. Get your ass to your girl before you don't have her anymore."

Connor narrowed his eyes, LED flicking yellow.

"Fine," Gavin said, strolling back to his desk. "Then I'll go see her. She won't even remember who you are when I'm done."

Connor made a dismissive noise. "I don't believe she would ever consent to physical intimacy with someone like you."

Gavin spun around again, grinning like a shark. "Oh, she already did."

"What?" Connor demanded, still looking like he did not believe him.

"Gave it to her real good, too. She loved it."

"Reed," Hank warned.

"You're lying to make me angry," Connor said.

Gavin strolled over to him, as smug as he had ever looked. He leaned down and stared Connor right in the eye. "I fucked your girl. I made her moan and cry like she never has before. Look me in the face and see if I'm lying."

Connor clenched his jaw, wrinkled his nose into some sort of snarl. His LED spun from yellow to red as he jumped to his feet. Gavin didn't move. Just kept looking him right in the eyes, grinning with self satisfaction.

"Connor," Hank warned.

Connor clenched his fists at his sides. He looked ready to punch the smug detective. Instead, he turned with a low, angry growl and stormed off out of the precinct.

Gavin was still as self-satisfied as ever as he watch the android stalk off. Then he felt a presence behind him and jerked when he saw it was Nines.

"What the hell? You're like a ghost. When did you get here?"

"I arrived just in time to see you attempt to interfere with Connor's relationship."

Gavin picked at his ear, annoyed. "Is that what you saw?"

"Another detective's personal life is none of your business. Were you motivated by jealousy, Detective?"

Even more irritated with the conversation, Gavin left to the break room. Nines followed.

"What the hell do you care?"

"I find the motives of humans curious. Learning what drives them to act the way they do will allow me to be a better detective. Why would you say such things to Connor?"

"Because I hate him and I'm an asshole. Don't you have anything better to do?"

"No," said Nines, as he watched Gavin pour himself a cup of coffee. "Are you trying to break them up because you think you would be a better match for Samantha?"

Gavin almost choked on his drink before glaring at his partner. "No Nines, I don't. Not a chance in hell. I'm a selfish prick and Connor's a fucking dumbass. Neither one of us are good for her.

"But that's how life is. That girl has seen a lot of fucked up shit, been through all kinds of hell we can only imagine. She deserves someone who can take care of her, get her away from all this bullshit. But she'll never get that. Instead, this goddamn world throws men at her like me, like Connor, like..." He looked pointedly at the android and continued. "It's a fucking joke, Nines. _Life_ is a fucking joke. Go solve _that_ punchline, Detective."

* * *

.

Samantha was curled up on the couch watching TV when Connor brazenly stormed into the room. She jerked her head around, wide-eyed at his sudden appearance.

"Connor!" She hurried to her feet to greet him. She was half way to him when he stopped her.

"You had sex with Gavin?"

Her mouth hung open for a minute. "He told you that?"

"And you just confirmed it. Were you ever going to tell me yourself?"

"Possibly, when the time was right. Or if you asked. But we had only been dating for a few days, then you left for a month and a half. There hasn't really been time for that sort of discussion."

Connor looked agitated, shifting from foot to foot. His LED would not be still. "I can't believe you would do this to me!"

"To you? What happened didn't have anything to do with you."

His LED stuck on red. "Nothing to do with me? I'm your _boyfriend_! You don't have the right to—"

"I don't have the _right_?" Samantha said in a louder voice. "You don't own me! You don't get to tell me what to do with my body! I spent so much of my life with other people having control of my body. It's not going to happen again. Not even for you."

Connor reeled back from her words. "Are you saying you don't owe me any loyalty at all? You don't want me to be able to trust you?"

Now Samantha was the one going in hot and she couldn't stop it now. "You want to talk about trust? I saw you on the news from an interview that happened_ yesterday_! How long have you been back? Were you ever going to tell me? Or were you just going to keep letting me wonder if you were hurt or dead or...?" She swallowed as her throat tightened.

Connor tried to say something and she held up her hand for silence as she composed herself. That was when he noticed.

"You had your arm replaced."

Samantha's voice was still cracking. "I've had to do so many difficult things without you." She fought against her closing throat. "Last night, I wished so hard that—" She couldn't finish that thought. "You only came here to yell at me for something that happened before we even started dating."

All of Connor's anger and frustration flooded out of him. "It happened _before_ we got together?"

"Did he tell you it happened while you were out undercover? That asshole!"

He tried to recover. "Still, I think I'm owed an explanation. We're together now."

"No, I don't owe you anything. As I said, it didn't have anything to do with you. And I'm not going to argue in circles about this."

"I'm not letting this go," Connor vowed.

She gave an aggravated noise, running her fingers through her hair. "God, you know I actually wish that it was Nines instead that came through that door."

"Why? So you can have sex with him, too?"

The room went silent. Both stared at the other wide-eyed, aware they each had said something hurtful.

Samantha pointed at the door. "Get out."

Connor opened his mouth to argue, but she wouldn't allow it.

"You wouldn't even be here if Gavin hadn't talked to you. Go back to whatever the hell you were doing before that's apparently far more damn important than letting me know you're alive. You can stay there all fucking month as far as I care. I don't want to be with someone who only cares about me when its convenient for them."

It felt like his chest was put in a vice. It physically hurt somehow, though androids couldn't feel pain. "Samantha..."

"OUT!"

On automatic, he spun around and did as he was told. With anger and frustration fueling his red LED, he stormed out and slammed the door behind him. Samantha winced as it was with enough force to shake the apartment. She stood there, breathing hard, wondering what just happened. How did their relationship spiral so quickly?

The door opened and Connor was back. He pinned her with an intense look as he locked the door behind him. Her eyes widened as he stalked darkly toward her. Under his looming form, she shrank, unsure of what he would do. Then he cupped her face.

"No, I'm not giving up on this," he rasped.

She squeaked in surprise as he kissed her hard, desperately. She pushed him away. They stared at each other with wide, wild eyes. Both panting as a sudden heat shot up between them.

"I—" Connor began.

She grabbed him by the hair, yanking him down to kiss her again. Connor's response was to bodily shove her up against the wall. He pressed his groin against her and the sound she made set his thirium on fire. He sunk his fingers in her hair, pulling back to nip hungrily at her exposed throat. She squirmed and clawed at him, trying to rip off his clothes. A few buttons popped off his shirt in her frenzy.

They were instantly a blur of desperate grunts and hands, pawing at each other, tugging at each others' clothes. Connor hiked her leg up, sliding under her skirt to rip off the side of her panties. She gave an irritated protest, to which he drowned in his kisses.

His fingers found her, pressed inside though she was hardly ready. She gasped and then growled at him for being so rough. He didn't let up. She clawed at what skin she had access to, frustrated no matter how hard she raked, it didn't bother him. He smugly tugged on her ear with his teeth and she set out for revenge by going for his power core.

Her fingers circled it, nails digging in. He hissed and jerked and she dared with her eyes for him to protest. He growled as he undid his pants and then hefted her up by her thighs. Still pinning her against the wall, he entered her swiftly and felt vindication at her cry. His fingers dug into the meat of her thighs as he pistoned his hips over and over.

"Make noise for me," Connor growled as she clung to him.

Her response was to lock eyes with him and glare silently.

He pushed off the wall, carrying her with him as they both fell onto the couch. He hiked her knee up to her chest, the other leg sprawled out off the edge. There he pounded into her mercilessly, finally earning hitched whimpers from her. He pressed his face to her neck, his pace nearly punishing.

Samantha's cries hitched higher. She was almost there. He didn't let up as the couch creaked and she clung to him. He wasn't paying attention when she attacked his power core again. Connor was the one that cried out as it suddenly pushed him over the edge faster than he was prepared for. Samantha was close behind him, arching and digging her fingers into his shoulders.

They both came down from their high, hot and panting.

"Was that better than Gavin?" Connor asked, still a bit of fire in his tone.

She slapped her hand over his mouth. "Don't ever ask me that again. Of course it was. Because I care about you. Because you mean so much to me. Because everything we do together is important to me. The worst sex with you is still better than with him because its with _you_. Understand?"

He looked into her eyes and softened instantly. Connor's face went back into her neck. Samantha's fingers now ran through his hair and he became aware he was shivering.

"I'm sorry," he said into her skin. "I'm sorry for every hurtful thing I said. I missed you so much."

She continued to soothe him as she played with his hair. "I'm so sorry, too. Why didn't you come back sooner?"

He pulled away to look her in the eyes. "They got away. The mission wasn't finished. You weren't safe yet. How could I come back until you were safe?"

She brushed the stray strands from his forehead, then cupped his face. "What matters is that you come back. I need you to always come back to me."

A flash of Amanda entered his thoughts. She who he tired so hard to please. She who placed the mission above all else. And then there was Samantha, who just wanted him with her. Who made it so easy to make her happy. She made him happy.

His whole body let out a mechanical sigh as he placed his forehead against hers.

Samantha's hands continued to soothe and wander. They slid under his haphazard clothes and she pulled back when she felt a stickiness on one of his shoulders. She smelled the invisible substance on her fingers and found a sharp, metallic tang.

"Is that thirium? Connor, did you get hurt?"

"Yes. I found the lion from the Cyberlife zoo."

"And it attacked you? How bad were you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Samantha. All my injuries have been repaired."

She gave him a cute, little frown. There was no genuine anger in her anymore. "I need you to show me."

She pushed him up and he gently removed himself from her. After kicking off her ruined panties, she took his hand and led him to the bright lights of the bathroom.

"Show me," she ordered again.

Connor removed his clothes piece by piece. Even his socks, at her insistence. She appraised his naked form, but didn't look satisfied.

"I need to see _all_ of it," she insisted.

He hesitated when he caught her meaning. "I've never been too comfortable without the synthetic skin."

"I'm aware. But I'm not letting this go until you show me you're okay."

Though her tone left no room for argument, it warmed him. She cared about all of him, everything that he was. Seeing the full truth of him would not make her care about him any less. Still, he closed his eyes as he willed away the skinthetic from every part of his body.

He didn't open his eyes until he felt her cup his chin. Her eyes met his and she smiled warmly.

"Still so cute," she cooed and gave him a pick on the lips. All his anxiety melted away.

She stayed close as she inspected him, running her fingers over his silhouette. She found the shoulder that was damaged. The outer shell was a slightly lighter color where it had been replaced. There were a few scratches on the remaining panels.

He showed her the hand that had been mangled and how it was now in perfect working order. As she touched it, she revealed her own new hand. Her dark, sterile contrasted with his gentle white.

"This is how it looks now," she said softly. "I never showed you before, but the one I used to have was built out of the same material as you. It made me feel a part of Connor, and a part of you. Now it's gone."

Connor cupped her jaw, pressing their foreheads together. "Nothing is gone. Maybe we are even closer now."

She gave a soft laugh. "You think? Even after all that?"

His fingers moved up, sifting through her hair. "I've never been so mad at someone and so scared at losing them at the same time."

"I guess this is part of having a relationship, too."

They stood quietly together, basking in the company they had missed all these weeks. Samantha ran her fingers over his shoulders and down his chest, then pulled back from the grit.

"You're so dirty. It's like you've been living outside the entire time."

"That's actually what happened," Connor replied with humor.

"That's how a lot of androids live out there, isn't it? Were you able to help them?"

"I'm trying."

She pulled back. "How about we get you a shower?"

"Can you join me?"

Samantha looked at her arm, slightly bandaged. "I might. The operation just happened yesterday."

Connor's heart fell. He had been back from his mission yesterday. "Sam, I'm so sorry, I should have been here."

She just shook her head and hugged him. "I want to keep you in this moment for a little longer before we get back to any of that."

He hugged her back. One arm sank to her lower back and he hugged her tighter, pressing her entire body into his. It felt good to hold her again, feel her body against his.

She pulled away after a few moments and dusted off her clothes. "Into the shower, dirty boy."

He turned on the water himself with good humor. Glancing behind, he saw her removing her clothes as well. She paused, looking at her arm in the mirror. Pristine synthetic skin below real skin, puckered and scarred. The arm looked too suspicious now with how sudden the scar of her cut stopped at the elbow. People would know. She wouldn't be able to hide it anymore. Unless she wanted to wear long sleeves for the rest of her life.

Steam began to float from the shower. She both felt and saw in the mirror as Connor came up behind her. He hovered at her back, his hands ghosting down her arms. When he reached her elbows she pulled back before he touched her prosthetic. Slow, patient, Connor tried again. He touched her arm, the while of his model still exposed. She followed—black against white—as his fingers traced hers.

"I like it," he said. "I think it looks cool. You should leave it like that."

She turned and smirked at him before taking off her top. Connor was all too happy to help.

Once under the spray, Samantha immediately got to work cleaning Connor everywhere with a soapy cloth. Unlike the last time they shared a shower, she was methodical and meticulous. Starting from the top, she worked her way down. This time, not stopping at the waist. The phallus kept catching her attention. Without his synthetic skin, she could see that it was mostly made of a somewhat clear silicon with a faint blue tinge.

"Do you want to touch it?" Connor asked.

She balked at the question, face going red.

"I don't mind," he continued. "I want you to be comfortable with every part of me."

She gave him a scrutinizing glare. "You probably watch me to touch it, too."

His response was cut off with a gasp as she did just that, looking him in the eyes as she squeezed him. Connor stiffened and gripped the shower wall. Samantha looked down and watched in fascination as he hardened in her hand. She took her time, feeling the texture, rubbing her thumb over the head as he hissed. The blue hue deepened as thirium was directed to the now active appendage. Fascinated, Samantha stood back to look at all of him, his android shell fully exposed to her gaze.

Connor kept waiting for her to return to him, but she just watched him with a smirk. This was her getting him back for the earlier rough sex. However, she didn't account for the fact that he had far more control over his body. He sent commands to cool his system and make his sexual programs dormant again. Then he willed the skinthetic to cover him.

"You didn't have to do that," she insisted.

"I prefer being like this."

"For the record, I think you're cute either way."

He moved closer. "But as a preference?"

"I prefer this, merely because I love your hair and I can read your expressions better." She met him, breasts against his chest, hands on his shoulders. "But I like you the way you are. Every way you are. Whatever you're comfortable with, I am, too."

Connor gently put his arms around her. His fingers lightly wandered her back. She closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead.

* * *

.

After the shower, neither bothered to get dressed. Though now September, it was still plenty warm outside and inside the apartment. After drying off, Samantha flopped onto the bed naked, her body still cooling from the hot shower. Connor crawled up next to her with a little more grace. There, they merely watched each other, lightly touching and caressing faces, shoulders and arms. Connor's fingers followed the dip and curve of her side and hip. Samantha kissed his bicep and then brushed her cheek against his.

"We said some mean things to each other," she said softly.

"We did. I'm sorry.

"Me, too. But...didn't it also feel kind of good?"

"Cathartic," Connor agreed. "I don't know where it all came from."

"It felt like we wanted to yell at each other. Maybe we did. And now here we are like this. That's a good sign for us, right?"

Connor grew a little grim, now reminded of the fight. "Will you tell me about Detective Reed? Was he telling the truth?"

She frowned. "I'm going to kick him in the nuts the next time I see him. I promise you, what happened with him was far before we were dating. It was brief, unremarkable, and never happened again."

"But you were intimate. Isn't that what you do with a person you care about? I am trying not to be mad, but I don't understand."

She rolled onto her back, pulling the sheets up as she stared at the ceiling. "It was that same day I first came to see you at the precinct. I was leaving. And there was Detective Asshole ambushing me at my car. He _knew_ about me. Not just the case, but what I was. And he wanted to talk. No, he wanted to _listen_ to me tell him. It's like he knew I needed it. I didn't even know how bad I needed it.

"He let me talk his ear off, he let me play video games at his apartment. It was the most fun I'd had in I didn't know how long. Long before I ever lost Connor. When I was leaving, that douche kissed me and I... The FBI had been in my ear so long, telling me it wasn't normal to want to touch the body of something that wasn't alive. Something made of metal and plastic. I need to be with my kind, I needed to touch humans, have meaningful connections with them.

"So I went with it. I tried to see if I could. I had been touched by humans before in various ways, but Gavin was the first human who ever hugged me. Could you understand what that feeling is like?"

"I do." Connor's thoughts were taken back to that morning after the tower. Hank waiting for him as the sun came up on that snowy morning. How he was so surprised when the larger human suddenly put his arms around him. It was one of the best feelings in the world.

"I thought I could make a connection with him," she continued. "I thought that was what I was supposed to do for myself. Gavin though, I'm pretty sure he just wanted to fuck. It ended up being this weird half and half where neither of us really got what we wanted. He was still nice about it, but it made me realize something. Being that intimate with a human just reminds me I'm not entirely like them. I feel human, but I also feel like I'm made of different stuff. At least with an android, I don't have to pretend we're supposed to be the same. I can just be what I am.

"There was nothing more than that between us that night, Connor. I honestly thought I would never see him again and I was okay with that. I thought I'd never see you again either. I expected us all to go our separate ways and I could finally move on with this warm little corner of my heart where you lived. Knowing you had a good life, I could think of you fondly to get me through the tough times. That's all I wanted."

Connor listened intently, watching but not touching. He was quiet after and Samantha kept an eye on his LED as it remained in blue, but flickered as he thought. It turned into yellow as his hands slipped under the sheets to her stomach. He firmly slid his palm up to her neck, then back down between her breasts to nearly her groin. He did it another time and once more, petting her like a cat.

Her body warmed at his touch and she closed her eyes when his lips pressed to her throat. He moved closer, closed his mouth around a nipple. She arched as she felt the swirl of his tongue. He continued downward until he coaxed her knees apart and kissed her inner thigh.

She glanced down at him with trepidation. "Con?"

He pinned her with a heated look as he went down. His tongue found her; taking its time tasting her depths. She arched on reflex and he pinned her down, keeping himself in control.

"Con," she breathed out.

"Does it feel good?"

Her whole body flushed when he asked.

"Tell me," he urged.

"It's feels better when you don't talk."

He looked up, brows raised. She gave him a challenging look in response. Then the LED started spinning. He seemed a little confused. She sat up to meet him, her lips on his ear, his jaw, his neck.

"Don't talk, just feel," she whispered. Her hands wandered him, learned him, adored him while he leaned against her, forehead to forehead, with his eyes closed. Then her mouth took its turn, gently guiding him to his back as she kissed her way down his torso. His eyes remained closed until their was a pause. Then the heat of her mouth descended on him.

Connor's eyes popped open, a soundless gasp. He glanced down. Wispy strawberry blonde hair decorated his stomach and thighs. The head moved up and down slowly and he felt each long pull all the way down to his toes. Soft whimpers were coaxed out of him one at a time.

"S...Sam..."

She raised her head, lips red and swollen. Her smile looked very satisfied as she crawled back up to him. "That's the answer to your earlier question."

His mouth remained open for a while as he processed. Then he smiled at her and slid his fingers through her hair. "Good to know."

They kissed slowly, thoroughly. Now Connor took his turn to roll her on her back. He worked his way down as she had. He took one leg and kissed his way up the thigh, then the back of the knee. Then he hooked the leg over his shoulder. Samantha's fully expected he would go back to finishing the job with his mouth. Instead, he sat up on his knees, her leg still stretched over his shoulder. He braced himself over her, fully erect and ready.

"Connor." She tired to sit up, not sure where this was going.

"Just feel," he said in that sinfully husky tone that made her shiver to her tailbone.

He leaned forward and pressed in, stretching the muscles of her leg, stretching her inner muscles so good. Propped back on her elbows, she bit her lip as he filled her all the way.

"Ah! That feels good." She arched into him, trying to take him deeper. A deep-seeded hunger in the core of her woke to his touch. She didn't realize how badly she craved him until she had him.

He rolled his hips into her once, twice. The third time she grunted and removed her leg from his shoulder. She stretched it to stop it from cramping and then hooked it around his waist. Her heel dug in, urging him on. When that wasn't enough, she sat up, pawing at him as she tried to pull herself closer to his body.

"Sam, tell me, what do you need?" Connor rasped at her.

She squirmed, clawed at him, wrapped him in all her limbs. "God, I need you. It's been too long. I need it deep. _Hard_."

The needy growl sent electricity through all his sensors. It felt like an instinct. All he wanted to do was satisfy, satiate. He held her hips, pistoned his own up into her. Her teeth clenched to his shoulder. A sharp cry escaped her with each jerk of his body. He felt her nails dig in, her thighs tremble around him. But the noises she made were still desperate, wanting.

He pulled out and flipped her over. Samantha's eyes were wide at the sudden change. Propped up on all fours, this wasn't a position she was used to. But Connor was already back inside, filling her again at a new angle. She groaned, dropping to her elbows and bracing against him to take him deeper.

His body leaned over her, covering her with warmth and kisses over the back of her neck and shoulders. He ran his fingers along her skin, feeling the bone and muscle structure.

"Connor," she whimpered, wriggling with impatience.

"Breathe," he told her in a sinfully silky voice. "I'll take care of you."

His hands set on her hips. Holding her steady, he slowly pulled out and then pressed in again, letting her feel the full length of him. Once all the way to the hilt, he gave an extra deep jerk of his hips.

"God, yes!" Samantha growled through her teeth.

Taking that as a cue on how to proceed, Connor continued with deep, solid thrusts. His reward was sharp, wanton cries, a sound he had never heard from her before. And he wanted to hear it again; needed to hear it.

"Ah! Ah! C—Con! Mmm, yes! Just like that!"

That was his song. Her satisfaction was his satisfaction. He continued to give as she sang his praises, bracing back against him. He loved to hear all these new sounds she made, see the sweat sheen on her skin. He wanted to see what other reactions he could get.

Still inside her, he picked her up as he leaned back. Her squeal of surprise was almost more comical than arousing. She now sat in his lap, he still fully seated inside her. His legs, in between hers, drew apart to spread her wide open. Samantha immediately began to squirm, not finding a way to gain any purchase. Connor preferred it. He wanted her desperate and completely at his mercy.

His first thrust had her arching back, trying to gain any control. There was none to be had. She reached back as he moved, clutched his hair, nipped at his jaw. He shuddered as his control began to fray. He could keep his pleasure in check and focus on his task before. But he couldn't control every sensor when she began digging her nails in his thigh and tugging his hair. He pulled her hair back and kissed her hard. She responded hungrily until his fingers found that extra sensitive bundle of nerves where they joined.

She broke off the kiss with a high-pitched cry. She grabbed his wrist, but he would not be moved. He rubbed her firm and slow until her whole body trembled.

"Con—Con!" She gasped and then screamed, thrashing and bucking as her climax hit hard.

Connor held her tight as she bowed back and let out a strangled sound before she finally relaxed in his arms. Gently he lowered her to the bed face first, still deep inside her. His weight settled on top of her as he kissed her shoulder, her neck, the place behind her ear. His hands slid under her to massage her breasts.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a breathy voice.

"You want to go again," he murmured back in her ear.

"What makes you think that?"

"Your thighs are twitching. You still keep squeezing me like you want it." To prove his point, he pressed his hips a little deeper. She made a soft noise in response, her inner muscles fluttering around him. "You like it," he purred with satisfaction.

Samantha pushed against him and he let her up. He was still fully erect, but she was the one flustered and restless.

"I hope you like it, too," she said as she straddled his thighs.

He looked quite content to have all her attention like that. "I'm very much liking it. I like making you feel good."

"I want you to feel good, too. Have you even had a...sexual release tonight?"

"Yes, when we were on the couch. I was quite satisfied."

She looked disappointed. "Everything was so crazy, I missed it. I wanted to watch you."

"Watch me?"

"Yeah. I want to make sure you're satisfied tonight, too."

"You've given me release without achieving orgasm yourself before. I think it's fair if I do the same."

She put her hands on his shoulders to stare him right in the eye. "It is most definitely _not_ fair. You have more control over your body. You get to decide if you will or won't. I'm at my body's mercy. I'm at _your_ mercy."

She felt him twitch over that last statement. Something about that seemed to get him a little hot and bothered.

"Do you...wish I was at your mercy?" he asked in a raspy voice.

"I want to know what you like. I want to make you feel good. The more we do this, the more in control you become. I'm realizing that you can choose not to feel anything when we're together, and that you do seem to be choosing to keep a damper on it is...frustrating? Disappointing? I'm not sure what word to use, but I definitely don't find it flattering."

He leaned up, running his hands down her arms, brushing his nose against hers. "I stay in control so I can focus on you. I want you to feel good."

She leaned into his touch. "I have no choice but to feel all of it. It felt very good. But can we also make sure you get some focus, too?" Her fingers slipped down and mapped out the topography of his chest. "How can I do that?"

He closed his eyes. "It's your hands, I can't _not_ feel when you touch me. When I'm inside you, I can predict and control my sensors. But I never know how and where you'll touch me. I have no choice but to feel it all."

Of course. Samantha had forgotten how much touch stimulated the RK800's. Being anatomically correct hadn't changed that for this Connor. She dug her fingers through his hair, thoroughly massaging his scalp. Connor's eyes practically rolled back as he melted.

"Then will you let me make you feel good?" she whispered. "Will you do that for me?"

He curled around her and slid his fingertips down her back, making her shiver. "Always. I can't help but feel good whenever you touch me."

She liked that answer, and grinned as she kissed him. He then surrendered as she ran her hands all over him, lighting him up, making his LED flicker wildly. Her teeth nipped at his throat while her finger traced the glow of his power core and he let out a guttural whine. Her hands eventually returned to his erection and she squeezed him. He twitched in response.

"Don't try to control it," she cooed. "Just let yourself feel."

Her thumb rubbed firmly over the tip, down the underside of his length and back up. Samantha watched in satisfaction as he closed his eyes. His chest heaved, his body hitched. His hips were restless under her. That was how she wanted him, a disheveled, panting mess. He was beautiful and arousing to behold, his noises sinfully delicious to the ear.

"S..Sam..." he whimpered when she let him go.

She kissed his slack-jawed mouth then positioned herself over him. "When we're together, don't hold back your own pleasure for me. I love seeing you like this. I love making you feel good. I want us to feel good together."

His hands cupped her hips in agreement, his fingers twitching on her skin. "Sam, let me feel you. I won't hold back this time."

She sank down on him, slow and controlled. She was slick, but still very tight. The two curled in on each other, both groaning in pleasure. Connor had been right, she still craved another release. Still on top, she set the pace. She did her best to make sure her hands were still busy all over his body as she rode him.

He practically _writhed_ under her as he abandoned all control. One moment he was curled up tight around her, next he fell on his back, arching as he cried out. It was gorgeous. Absolutely fucking sexy. Samantha wished she could record it. But she also had her own itch to scratch and she was falling behind. She braced a hand against the wall for leverage, driving him deep inside her to scratch that illusive itch.

"I—I remember you requested it hard and deep," Connor managed to say.

"No talking!" she growled back.

Connor made a sound of humor and grabbed her hips. He began thrusting up in earnest. Deep. Hard. She practically screamed.

"Ah! Connor!"

"So you can talk and I can't?'"

"Sh—shut up! Don't stop!"

He settled for keeping his mouth shut as he gave it to her how she needed it. Her loud, keening cries drove him forward to give her more. He wanted to give her body everything it craved. Her hands kept busy, too. Scraping down his chest and back, finding his hot spots. In the end, they were both making sounds of ecstasy as Samantha finally crashed. Determined not to leave him behind, she grabbed Connor's hand and bit the arch between his thumb and forefinger. Connor's voice hitched and octave as he came; hard, overwhelming. His vision blanked for a moment. He came back to Samantha sucking on the bite, then soothing her tongue between his fingers as the pleasure continued to flood his senses.

He eventually managed to pull his hand away from her. "What was that?"

Samantha practically purred as she kissed him. "I figured you RK's would probably have the same erogenous zones."

Connor looked at his hand as if seeing it for the first time.

Samantha winced as she attempted to withdraw from him. Connor gently helped her and she slid off the bed to retrieve a fresh pair of panties. She showed the front and back to Connor with a grin before putting them on and modeling them again.

"I'm hungry," she announced.

"It's nearly midnight."

"Still hungry. I'm going to get some cereal. Be right back."

Connor remained where he was, naked and processing all the new sensations from that night. He could hear her in the kitchen fiddling around. When Samantha returned, she looked impressed that Connor was still fully alert.

"I thought you might nod off into recharge while I was gone."

Connor's response left his processor entirely when he saw she had picked up an extra article of clothing on her way back. She now wore not only her panties, but his android jacket. And for some reason, the sight of her nude body being protectively covered by his jacket rubbed him in all the right ways.

"You okay?" she then asked.

"Yes. I just find you incredibly attractive in my clothes."

She looked very flattered by that. "I'll keep that in mind for next time." She made herself comfortable next to him with her cereal. "You sure you're not tired?"

"My systems are alerting me I should shut down to rest for a while, but I don't have to do it right now. I would like to talk to you as long as you're still awake. Are _you_ sure you're not tired?"

"Hanging out with Nines watching movies all night has turned me into a night owl. My sleep schedule is way off these days."

"He was with you often?"

"He helped me a lot while I was waiting for my new arm. A bit of a stand-in boyfriend while you were gone. He kept me company."

Connor frowned.

"You look a little jealous." She put a spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

"Maybe I am."

"First of Gavin, then of Nines. You need to remind yourself which one of the three of you am I in bed with after having some of the best sex of my life."

He perked up. "Yeah?"

She winked as she took another bite. Connor smiled thoughtfully as he placed a hand on her thigh. Her hand landed on his and she squeezed it before going back to eating.

"Tell me about being undercover," she said between bites. "What did you do? What did you find? Who did you meet?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you about the case while it's still open." At her disappointed face, he added, "But I met a very nice android named Lily. She was kind to me when I was undercover. But she was very lost and lonely. She was one of the reasons I kept working after I came back. The FBI had her and other androids in custody. I negotiated their release and took them to Jericho where they'll be safer and, I hope, happier."

"You darling, sweet android." She kissed his temple before putting her empty bowl on the nightstand.

"I learned a lot while I was out there. So many androids are lost, homeless, aimless, alone. I didn't realize how bad it could be until I saw it for myself. I always thought I was doing my best for androids by doing my job, but maybe there was more I could have done."

"Do you want to do more?" Samantha asked in a tone much lighter than his.

"I...Yes, I think I do."

"Do you want me to help?"

"Help me to...?"

"I could contact local android relief organizations and see how we can both get involved. Or..." She paused. "Oh, I guess you already know people at Jericho. I'm sure it would be better to ask them. I guess I'm not that useful. Though I'll help with you if you'd like. We'll figure out a way you can be more involved but still be available to do your job. It would be something we can do as a couple."

If Connor thought he loved her before, he was sure he loved her now. But all he did was hug her around the waist, his head in her lap. "Thank you."


	12. Chapter 12: Pieces of You

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Twelve: Pieces of You**

They talked long into the night about the things they experienced while they were apart. Connor spoke about his time out among the deviants as best he was able. He held back certain things about Orion and the things he had done. All the details he legally couldn't tell her about the case. Nor did he wish to expose her to the darker parts of his job. He expressed more about his journey into learning the plight of his people, his feelings about their struggles and his desire to help.

Samantha, in turn, told him about her time spent with Nines. She talked about her observations of the RK900, if he really could deviate or not. If he was possibly in the middle of a deviation cycle unique only to him. She told Connor about the death of her clone, about her conversation with Nines about it. She spoke about her more difficult days while he was gone, how she missed him. She also mentioned Markus' unexpected visit.

They talked until the sun came up, laying together in the nude. Sharing hearts, soft touches and kisses. All the while, Connor continuously found himself in silent discovery. This was what being in a relationship truly meant. It wasn't just the physical intimacy. It was opening up to your partner on an emotional level. Sharing everything with them. It was just as euphoric to be able to openly share all his thoughts and feelings with someone he cared about as it was to share his body. Connor had never had this opportunity before. He had never had someone sit so quietly and listen to all the things he wanted to say.

Likewise, as they lay in bed, talking and casually touching each other, Connor hung onto Samantha's every word as she too unloaded all the things on her mind and in her heart. This was a new intimacy. They were naked, wrapped in each other's forms, fully exposed to one another. And giving to one another of their deepest thoughts and fears and hopes. Knowing Samantha deeper than he had ever known her before.

This was how Connor understood what Hank was trying to tell him. There were many facets to loving a person fully. The Lieutenant had been right, Connor was still learning them all. He was eager to learn still all the different ways. How to love Samantha in every way there was to love.

* * *

.

Connor's systems eventually forced him into recharge. When he awoke, his internal clock told him it was nearly noon. A disgusting time to still be in bed. Yet, he didn't mind since Samantha's form slept beside him.

This was a first for him; that she was still asleep when he awoke after a forced recharge. It was hard to find her face under that wild nest of hair. When he did manage to brush it away, she gave a grumpy noise and rolled away from him. Her face found refuge from the daylight in her pillow. Connor thought it was the cutest thing. He tried to press his face in her neck and she made another cranky sound.

"Samantha, it's time to get up. It's almost noon."

No response from her, though Connor knew she wasn't asleep. He snuggled in closer, wrapping his arms around her until his hands comfortably cupped her breasts. Then he nuzzled into the back of her neck.

"Samantha."

She blindly swatted at him and managed to get him in the face. Not that it bothered him. His revenge was to roll over onto his back, easily taking her with him. She whined and tried to get away, but he was immovable. Finally, she let out a sound of resolution.

"You're being a pest."

"It's time to get up."

She whined and then went still. Was she just going to fall asleep like that? He was about to pester her further, but her phone pinged on the nightstand. She rolled off him to grab it and blearily thumbed at the screen. After a series of blinking, she managed to read the text.

"Huh, Angela says my online album has supposedly gone viral. I wonder what viral means for her. Twenty new followers? I think I only had five before now."

"Is that the gallery where you posted your pictures of Nines?"

"Yeah. I mean, it was just to show my friends my photography hobby. It wasn't for the whole world to—holy crap. Three thousand followers? What the hell happened?" She went back to texting Angela. "She says a few pro-android accounts shared some of my pictures, but then the whole thing blew up when I posted pictures of Markus. I guess hardly anyone has seen him publicly since November." She frowned when she remembered her conversation with Markus and his reluctance to make a public statement about the murders.

Then something else caught her attention. "What the—damn, look at all these thirsty comments about Nines. 'Climb that like a tree.' 'Where can I get one?' 'Gonna sit on that face.'" She snorted. "'_Does he vibrate?_' Oh my gosh! The internet is dirty."

Connor leaned over, resting his chin on her shoulder. "When are you going to photograph me for your gallery?"

She glanced his way. "You want people saying these things about you?"

"Well..."

"I can say those things to you right now if you want. Do _you_ vibrate, Connor?"

He smirked. "Not that I'm aware of."

"Your fans will be disappointed."

His response was to attack her neck and behind her ear with nibbles and kisses. She squealed as he found all her sensitive spots. He ended up mostly draped over her, Samantha laughing.

"Come to Jericho with me today," he said.

"Jericho? What are we doing there?"

"I thought we could ask where else we could help."

She rolled over to face him then snuggled in, hiding her face in his neck. "Sounds good. Just let me snooze for ten minutes more. Maybe twenty."

Connor tucked her in, pulling the sheets over her nude form. "Fifteen is all you're getting."

* * *

.

Connor had been excited to escort Samantha to Jericho. She had been excited to go and see all the good they were doing. When the couple showed up, however, they weren't met with equal enthusiasm. The first androids perked up at the sight of Connor. When they noticed he wasn't alone, they held back. Some openly stared. Even glared. And it wasn't Connor they were glaring at.

They knew, Samantha quickly realized. They knew so easily she wasn't one of them. But she didn't think there would be such an unwelcome feeling in Jericho. She always imagined it as a peaceful, enlightened place. Maybe not so enlightened yet. And maybe only peaceful for androids. She glanced at Connor. He didn't seem to notice it. Maybe she was being paranoid. Maybe it would be fine.

Then, a few androids stepped in ahead of them, looking to block their way from the main building. Among them was a striking redhead who caused Samantha who stop in her tracks. If any of the other looks were questionable, she knew right away that this look meant she was not welcome.

"Connor," she said, though she was giving Samantha a hard glare before turning her attention to the RK800.

"Hello, North," he answered pleasantly.

She gave another glance to Samantha. "What are you doing here?"

"We've come to be of assistance. We'd like to help where ever Jericho needs some extra hands."

"You know humans aren't allowed here."

Connor's mouth hung open. He didn't know that. It wasn't something that was ever discussed with him. He only realized at that moment that he had never witnessed another human on Jericho's grounds.

"If you don't allow humans in, how can they help you?"

"We don't need their help. We didn't create this place just so we can rely on them."

Connor looked to Samantha for assistance. She had told him about the efforts in Chicago, how both humans and androids worked together to help the cause. They worked as one to save androids, helped them find the freedom to live their lives. Humans and androids both built their new community together.

"Right, I was just dropping him off," Samantha said with a smile. "He was telling me last night about how he wanted to do more for his fellow androids. I said I would give him a ride here."

"Well he's here," North said curtly. "So you can go now."

"North," Connor shot back, irritated at her rudeness.

"Right," Samantha agreed. "I shouldn't be here. I'll go."

"I'm coming with you, then," Connor said.

"No, you wanted to come here and help. Do what you came here to do. Learn about your people, be what they need." She gave his sleeve a single tug. "I'm proud of you for wanting to do this. I'll see you tonight, okay? You can tell me all about it."

He smiled, though he wished like hell the world was different. Or that he and she were not so different. He wasn't sure which, but he did wish for change. Samantha winked playfully and quickly left under the watchful eye of the other androids.

Connor was not happy. He already regretted coming here. Already, he realized Jericho wasn't the place he had expected it to be. He rounded back on North.

"Why don't you let humans help you? You can't honestly think Jericho will get no benefit from their assistance."

North raised a brow at him. "I can imagine all the benefits you're getting from _that_ human."

Connor refused to be goaded about his personal life. "My question still stands. There are other groups across the country that are doing much better than here because humans and androids are working together for the cause."

"Other groups weren't shot down for peaceful protests. Didn't see their kind being murdered all around them. You weren't there, Connor. You can't understand what that feels like, wondering if you're going to be the next to die. And then to be told that now you have to let those who slaughtered your people into your life in order to continue to survive."

Connor softened at her words, though it didn't change his opinion. "There has to be some sort of compromise. We can't both live in this world and be apart from it."

North turned from him. "You live your way, I'll live mine. You said you wanted to help? Then come see what we do."

She led him to one of the buildings in the back. Connor had visited a few different places in Jericho, but he never stayed long enough to see everything. In this building it was a macabre display of bodies; both active and lifeless. Rusted, dirty androids, missing body parts. Faces mangled. Some active and moving, some not. Connor paused at the doorway of such a scene. North shouldered past and into the carnage.

"As you know, only recently has it be legalized to access the android landfills a couple weeks ago. This is what we've been working on ever since. We pulled out the bodies one by one. First, the ones that were still active and mostly in tact, the ones that had the best chance to be repaired and deviated. We're still pulling those bodies out. Those androids are in another building, waiting on repairs.

"These are the ones that were offline, but look the best physically. We're slowly going through them to see if they can be repaired and reactivated. If not, unfortunately, we need to use them for parts for those living that badly need them."

Connor looked at the various living androids and inspected offline bodies. "How long do the androids typically wait for the parts they need?"

She gave a human-like sigh. "Too long. The process here is very lengthy. We go through every test we can think of before declaring one of these bodies as irreparable. Then, it also takes a while to remove parts and then test which of those are still usable. Then we inventory what we have before giving them out.

"We could use all the help we can get."

Connor nodded as he continued to survey the area. He approached the nearest prone body. Naked, synthetic skin completely receded. That was a bad sign. An offline android with the skin still manifested as either complete or partial meant there was still some amount of thirium in the body. That was a good sign that the bio-components—especially the part of the android's brain—was still in tact.

Connor opened a panel in the neck and a connector poked out of his pinky finger. He pulled the cord out longer and plugged it into the android's system. They jerked slightly as power was forced into the CPU. Just enough so the two computers could talk to each other.

"This one is beyond repair. I can give you a report on which parts are in good enough condition to transplat to another."

"How can you do that?" North demanded. "How do you get past their firewalls?"

All androids had built in blocks and firewalls to prevent outside sources from stealing owner's personal information. The android, too, was aware enough that they could even tell their owner if they felt someone was trying to access their systems. Deviant androids could choose to lower these security measures if they wished to let other androids access to their information or network. Offline androids, however, were automatically locked down tight.

"I am the detective android sent by Cyberlife. They gave me an override code to access the information of other androids, even if they try to block me. I use this to question androids who are involved in criminal activity. I can obtain any of their information, including a status and damage report."

North eyeballed him with a newfound wariness. "That's kind of frightening to know."

"I assure you, I take that responsibility very seriously. And I am willing to use it to help the survivors get help faster, if you would like me to."

She clearly wrestled with the ethics of this decision.

"I promise, I will not use it to violate the privacy of any android. I will only obtain physical reports in order to aid them.," Connor added.

"Okay. Yes, please help us."

* * *

.

With Connor now busy for the day, meeting one of his personal goals, Samantha decided she would do the same. She would confront the one issue that she had been avoiding for so long. An issue that she hoped would have gone away on its own before she came back to work. But the RA9 case was still open, the murderers still at large. Which meant the FBI still inhabited the precinct.

Along with them, the RK800.

Samantha had been invited to come back to work anytime she felt ready. Now was the time. But first, she decided to put on her big girl pants and have a real conversation with the FBI's android. She felt as though her dearly departed Connor would want her to. And she wanted this RK800 to know that this body and opportunity were precious and he should live it to the fullest.

Agent Perkins balked when he saw the redhead walking toward him. He immediately recognized her and frowned.

"Hello, Agent," she said quickly before he could brush her off. "I know you're busy and you have very important things to do, but I was hoping I could have a moment?" She nodded toward the RK800, working studiously over files and photos set up in the meeting room the FBI had commandeered as their own. He was dressed sharp as ever in a stark black suit.

"It will only be a few minutes, I promise." Her heart was racing. God, she didn't know what she would do if he said no. "Then I won't ever come back to bother you."

Outwardly, Perkins made a show of looking put out. Her theatrics from tbefore had seemed entitled and irritating to him. Now she was calm and polite. He softened a little when he saw the angry, puckered scar on her arm. Even though she was fucking annoying, she had also been violently attacked. No one deserved that. It made him lose a bit of his venom.

"Fine," he huffed. "Make it quick. And don't do anything stupid."

"No sir," she replied in a breathy voice, shaking her head in earnest. "Thank you."

Perkins gave her one last warning look before tipping his head in the direction of the meeting room. "Rick, come here a second and talk to this girl."

Samantha scrunched her nose. That was the android's name?

When the android stepped out, Perkins turned on his heel. "Don't take too long. We've still got shit to do."

The android glanced at his supervisor's retreat, and then looked at the woman before him. "Hello, how my I help you?"

"Your name is Rick?" Samantha demanded. A dumb first question, she knew.

"Yes. I am an RK. Using those letters, the name Rick seemed a logical choice for the team who activated me."

Samantha glanced over him from head to toe. This was Connor's body. A body she had touched and caressed with both hands and lips. A form she had loved and made love to. This body had made love to her. That mouth had touched her mouth. Those graceful fingers had learned her all over. Connor was both right here and not here at all, and she was suddenly lost within his proximity.

"Will there be anything else?" Rick asked, jarring her back to the present.

"Uh, yes, sorry. I'm not sure you're aware of this, but the body you have was once another android."

Rick was already nodding. "Yes, I was briefed the day I met you. I knew the body was refurbished, but my fellow agents explained to me that the android whose shell I took was very important to you."

"I loved him very much." She couldn't stand to look at his face for too long. How he looked at her like she was a stranger. Her gaze kept falling to his black tie instead. "He was a very good person. He was loyal and gentle and cared about people. He cared about me when no one else did. He died trying to protect me. I miss him so much every day. I wanted to tell you that he was a good person, an amazing person. He did so much good for his people and for me."

She tried to bring her gaze up to his eyes again. "I think he would be happy to see that his body could be used to give life to another android. An android that works to keep people safe and uphold the law for both androids and humans." She smiled at his suit. "He would be quite pleased to see that you are also into dressing sharp and professional. It was something he was passionate about."

She pulled a bright red item from her purse. "This was his favorite tie. I bought it for him as a gift. He wore it practically every day. I thought maybe you might like it. I want you to have a reminder of him—my Connor—who died so both of us could live."

The expression change was subtle, but Rick took the red tie from her with respect and slight awe. "Thank you."

She nodded, smiling. The smile was genuine, but also with a hint of sadness. "I'll let you go now. You have important work to do. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me." She turned and left. Today would not be the day she came back to work, but maybe tomorrow.

Rick returned to the room as soon as the conversation ended. He approached Perkins who was thumbing through a thick file.

"You done?" he asked, then glanced up to the item in the android's hand. "What the hell is that?"

"She gave me this tie."

"It's fucking hideous. Toss it."

Rick didn't move.

"I said toss it. You can't wear that trash."

There was a communal trash bin against a support beam, just a few paces from the door. Rick obediently put the tie in the trash and returned to his post. Perkins was already absorbed in his phone, ignoring the android, as he often did unless he needed him for something. Rick waited for further instruction, but it never came.

After a minute or two, he glanced back at the trash can. He had no opinion of the item he tossed one way or another. Yet, there was some sort of sensation in his chest. He couldn't accurately identify it, but the thought kept circling in his processor that he had done something wrong.

Since Perkins wasn't paying attention, Rick went back to the trash and looked inside. He didn't see the tie. Not even after digging a hand inside until his sleeve was splattered with old coffee. Confused, he looked around, then noticed the security camera pointed in his direction. Easily, he accessed the footage and slowly wound back between the time he first tossed the tie and now. Shortly after he had thrown it away, he saw Samantha Hall on camera while his attention had been elsewhere. Rick hadn't lingered to observe her leaving the precinct, but she must have stayed around to watch him. On the camera, she went directly to the trash can, pulled out the tie, and hurried away.

The second he finished the footage, a fist came at his face. Too fast to avoid, the heavy android went flying to the floor. Much further than a human could punch him. The RK900 stood over him, a cold, hateful expression on his usually stoic face.

All activity in the bullpen paused as Rick hit the ground, landing on his ass. A few officers stood to see what happened.

Perkins heard the commotion and poked his head out. "What the hell?"

"Oh, no, Nines. Don't do that. Bad android," Gavin said without sincerity, then sipped his soda in satisfaction.

Nines gave Rick one more withering look and then stalked out of the station.

* * *

.

Nines knocked on Samantha's door. He had witnessed her leaving the precinct looking upset after talking with the FBI's RK800. At that point, he didn't know why she was distraught, he only knew it was the android's fault. Tracking her phone led him back to her apartment.

Samantha never answered. A quick scan showed a warm human body inside, but she was not moving to get the door. He knocked again, louder this time. She still didn't answer. Even though it was somewhat illegal to do so, Nines picked the lock with a universal key from his finger.

He walked in and found Samantha standing at the kitchen sink, scrubbing at something while clearly in distress.

"Samantha."

She glanced at him, as if having no idea he had been knocking on her door. Her eyes were wet and red. Then she turned her back, shutting him out. Nines moved closer to see she was attempting to clean a bright red tie peppered with coffee stains.

"Samantha."

She still wouldn't look at him and kept scrubbing.

He turned off the water and then lightly touched her wrist. "What happened?"

She wouldn't look him in the face at first. Then she sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "It's nothing serious, I just made an idiotic decision. Now I'm being punished for it by not being able to get the stains out of this goddamn tie." She tossed it into the counter with disgust. "I'm so dumb. I don't know what I was thinking. I gave this to Connor for Valentine's Day. It was the first thing he ever wanted for himself. It's so important. Why would I just _give_ this to someone else?"

When she didn't expound, Nines put his hand on her arm. His blue eyes stayed on her, urging her for more details. She didn't want to admit it, but she found herself spilling it all. "I gave it to Rick, that RK800 with the FBI. I thought maybe it should be with him since...he has Connor's body. I thought it would help me move on. So when I go back to work, I can handle being in the same building with him. But he threw it in the trash the second I turned around." She picked up the tie, feeling its texture between her fingers. The tears began to fall again. "Now it's ruined. I don't understand. If he didn't want it, why didn't he just say so? Why did he...?"

She couldn't finish as she slid down to the kitchen floor. She pulled up her knees to her body and pressed the tie to her face. The crying began again, though she was trying to fight it in front of him.

Nines watched her for a moment and then joined her on the floor. He waited for her to look at him, then offered his hand. She let him pull her over until she was trapped around his long limbs. He pulled her in and she rested with her ear to his thirium pump.

"I'm sorry," he said. "This is the best I can do."

She remembered saying those exact words to him during a storm. The RK's often parroted back the same words to her. It was how they learned.

"This is the best thing I could get. Thank you for coming to see me. I didn't want anyone here, but it's nice to have you."

His arms tightened around her a little more.

* * *

.

It took most of the day for Markus to realize Connor was even at Jericho. This was largely due to North who wanted to keep Connor working instead of Markus coming to distract them all from their tasks. And Connor was an absolute MVP as he sorted through androids faster than the rest of the team combined. Androids that could be saved were getting help sooner. Android parts that were useful to those who needed them were also coming through at a more reasonable speed.

By the time Markus did show up in that area, they were close to needing to take another trip to the landfill for more more rescues. Simon was right behind him, looking around with bright blue eyes.

"Connor," Markus greeted. "I heard you came in this morning with a human. Is she still here?"

Connor smiled in greeting. But when asked, the smile dropped a little. "Uh, no. She didn't stay."

"I'm never going to meet this girl," Simon complained.

Markus didn't think that sounded like the Samantha he knew. "She didn't want to help?"

Connor looked uncomfortable with the answer and floundered to reply.

"It is not appropriate to bring a human here," North insisted. "She had to go."

Now Markus floundered. "She came to help and you turned her away? North. Why?"

She angrily gestured to everything around them. "We are not required to let them into our space just because they want to be."

Markus stiffened with irritation, then softened. He pulled a surprised North into his embrace and tucked her head under his chin. His voice was low, soothing.

"There has to be a compromise somewhere. We can't live in two different worlds forever."

She softened a little in his embrace. "Maybe, but today is not that day. Not for them." She motioned to all the bodies thrown away by careless humans.

"How about tomorrow?" Simon asked. "Can tomorrow be the day? I am dying to meet this human."

North pulled away. "I'm surprised you haven't already. Markus has met her."

Simon made an offended sound.

Markus eyed her. "How did you..."

She held up her palm. "I found this online." On the small palm-sized holographic projector androids used as a screen, was a video titled 'Is this THE Markus?' The video played and there was Markus with a one-armed Samantha at a karaoke bar.

"Islands in the stream, that is what we are," the duo sang. They looked like they were having fun, grinning and sharing playful glances. "No one in between, how can we be wrong? Sail away with me to another world. And we rely on each other, uh huh. From one lover to another, hu huh."

Markus watched the video silently. He glanced up at North, down at the video, and then back up at her.

"I can explain."

* * *

.

When Connor returned to the apartment that evening, he found Samantha sitting sideways on the couch, her back to the door and her knees drawn up. The only source of light was the fading sunset.

He flipped on the lights, sensing something was off. "Samantha?"

"Hey," came her soft voice. She didn't look his way.

He walked over to sit on the other end of the couch. Her gaze was not in his direction and never moved from where she stared at the far corner. He waited for her to say anything else. They sat in silence for four minutes and eighteen seconds.

"Did something happen today?"

Her voice was devoid of emotion. "I quit my job."

That surprised him. Nearly filled him with fear until he reminded himself that he would still be able to see her every day even if she worked somewhere other than the precinct.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what to say."

"Tell me why you don't want to work there. It's okay. I'll understand."

Her glance told him she didn't quite agree with that. Her gaze settled back to the far corner. "I can't go back there and look at him again. That android with Connor's body."

He then noticed she was fingering a red scrap of silky fabric in her fingers. The rest of it bunched up between her knees.

"I tried. I thought I could do it. But to have him so close and know he doesn't feel anything...I can't. His body is the only real piece of Connor left and I..." She shook her head, unable to come up with the words. She had tried so hard to pretend it didn't break her heart to know he was out there and she meant nothing to him. Was it ego? She wanted to be happy for this android who could live because of Connor's sacrifice.

"Samantha, it's okay," Connor whispered. He lightly touched her knee.

A sob forced its way out of her and she couldn't control it. "Why does this hurt so bad? Why does it feel like he's abandoned me? I don't want to feel like this."

"Sam."

"All the pieces left of him are out where everyone can see and it feels like a cruel, sick joke. I don't know how to heal from this."

"Samantha, don't do this to yourself. It's just an empty android shell."

"I _loved_ that shell!" Tears streamed heavy down her cheeks now.

It hurt to watch her in so much pain. A pain Connor had never felt before. He was desperate to make it better.

"I know you did. Connor didn't leave you, but you won't find him in there."

She practically sobbed the words, "Then _where is he_?"

Connor pressed his fingers to his forehead. "In here."

She touched her own forehead, confused. "You mean in here," she said as she pressed her hand to her heart. "I carry him with me here."

"No. I mean he's literally in here." Connor tapped at his LED. "Some of him. That night he died, he grabbed my wrist. Our systems connected."

Samantha's eyes widened in horror.

"He downloaded a small part of himself into me. As much of him as he could until system failure and he went offline."

She continued to gape at him. Eyes wet, but no new tears. Her voice came out as a breathless rasp. "What?"

Connor reached for her hand. "He's here with us right now. A piece of him will always be with me. His love for you has been with me all this time."

She slid her fingers from him, her whole body pulling back. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"When you came back to visit, I wasn't sure how to explain it. Or even if I should. I didn't understand myself exactly what he had done. Not until I saw you again. When you came in, he woke up. My thirium pump began to beat fast, my body temperature rose. It was his great love for you that he downloaded into me. All his warm thoughts and feelings about you, all his precious memories. He gave them to me. And when you were near, I—"

Samantha held up a hand to stop him. Connor thought she would be flattered and relieved with this revelation. But her expression was disturbed.

"Are you saying that us getting together—that wasn't you? That was _his_ feelings controlling you?"

He floundered at the unexpected question.

"If he wasn't in your system, you wouldn't have acted the way you did when I visited you. You wouldn't have been so attentive. You wouldn't have invited me out to the zoo. You and I wouldn't be dating right now. I always wondered why you kept acting like that when I shouldn't have meant anything to you. I was flattered and I liked having you around so I ignored it. But he was controlling you. None of this was your choice."

Connor didn't have any answers. He had never thought of their relationship from that perspective. He knew the Other Connor was in him, but he never considered that the second RK800 was controlling his feelings.

"Connor, this thing between us, it isn't real. Not for you."

Panic filled him. What was happening? He felt like he was spinning out of control and took her hands in his to find something solid to cling to.

"But was it real for you?" he asked desperately.

She looked pained at the question. "We can't do this. It isn't fair to you. You need..." She trembled. "You need to delete him from your files. He can't control your life. It's _your_ life. You need to make your own decisions. Fall in love with the person that _your_ heart decides on. Not his."

He squeezed her tighter. "But it was me. I did fall in love with you."

She gently retrieved her hands from his. Her voice was barely more than a whisper as her eyes watered again. "I don't think you did. It wasn't you, it was him influencing everything you felt about me. You can't honestly say that he had no affect on you whatsoever when we met."

He couldn't. He knew that. The Other Connor had always been there, telling him of this great love he and Samantha had shared. But what she was saying didn't seem entirely correct either.

"I think we should separate for a while," Samantha said, and his panic started all over.

"What? Why? We care about each other."

"I do care about you Connor, very much. But this is wrong. I can't let him control your life. I won't take advantage of you like that."

Connor tried to find purchase to the conversation. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what the remedy was for this problem. All he knew was that this was breaking his heart.

"What should I do?"

Samantha covered her mouth with both hands, then gathered herself. "I can't tell you how to live your life, but I do want us to take a break from each other. I need time to process this. I think you do, too. You need to live as your own person, without me. Without Connor."

"I...I don't want to," he whispered.

"Is that how you feel? Or how _he_ feels?"

Connor, for the first time, realized he wasn't sure.

Samantha closed her eyes, gathering her strength one last time. "Please, I need you to leave. And I need you to not come back through that door this time. Not until I tell you I'm ready to see you again. I have to have time to process all of this."

"Samantha—"

"_Please_ Connor. Please go. I am begging you to leave." Her voice strained with emotion. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please go and don't come back."

He looked lost, confused. Heartbroken. But he stood as he was told and she heard him leave out the door. He did not return.

When he was finally gone, Samantha let out the sob that had been fighting its way through her chest. She rolled off the couch and onto the floor, laying on her side with her knees pulled up. The unyielding floorboards beneath the thin carpet seemed appropriate for this horrible day.

Her eyes remained fixated on the fading purples and oranges of dusk outside the glass balcony door. Without making another sound, tears continued to flow over the bridge of her nose and drip off her temple. No one told her that losing the one she loved would keep hurting anew over and over again.

The world would not let her heal. Pieces of Connor continued to taunt her, digging new cuts into the raw, open wound in her heart. He was everywhere: influencing Connor's decisions, infesting Nines' protocols. His shell haunted to the walls of the precinct—cold and distant—where she dared not go again. He imbued all the parts of her life here in Detroit.

Maybe she never should have moved here.

* * *

.

Connor took the bus back to the precinct. These days, androids didn't have to stand in the back. Everything in him wanted to stay, but Samantha's orders were enough to propel him through his personal urges. A piece of him stayed in that apartment with her, refusing to leave her side. The thought that as long as they were together, they could figure out any problem kept rolling itself over and over in his mind. Separation was the opposite of solving this issue. But he would do as she asked.

This situation had to be temporary. The thought of never going back there, never seeing her face, never feeling her form snuggled against him in the dark of night made his chest hurt. Was this the sensation of heartache? Pain when he shouldn't be able to feel pain. The sense of being hurt without physical damage. Something wet ran down his cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb.

When he was nearly to the station, Hank called him on his personal frequency.

"Connor, where are you?"

Connor would normally just speak out loud to calls as if he had a phone. But he was on a bus surrounded by people. His voice replied to Hank inwardly through their connection.

_I'm nearly back at the precinct. How can I help?_

"There's been another RA9 murder. I need your ass down here right now."

Orion was finally back to his usual again. So much for hoping the destruction of his nest would stop his crime spree.

_We're no longer on the RA9 case. Are the federal agents unable to attend the crime scene?_

"No, they're here. But there's something you specifically need to see."

Hank gave him the address. Connor asked him if he was serious when he was told the location. His fuel pump began to race. Hank said no, he was not fucking with his partner. Come immediately. Connor raced off the bus at the next stop and radioed for an automated cab. He regretted not getting a human driver as the self-driven cars always drove the speed limit. Thus, he was taken to a more rural part of the city. Right up to a house he knew very well.

Hank's entire yard was cordoned off with holographic police lines. Cops and flashing patrol car lights littered the block. Neighbors rubbernecked on their porches or peered out windows. As soon as the taxi pulled up as far as it was allowed, Connor jumped out and demanded Hank's whereabouts of the first officer he saw.

"Connor, over here," Hank called before anyone could direct him. He stood on the sidewalk in front of his yard. Forensics was already there as well, placing numbered tabs about the lawn. There was a body in the grass.

"Hank, are you okay?" Connor asked as he jogged urgently to his partner. "Were you attacked? Did you get hurt?"

"Nah, nah. I'm fine. Don't worry about it. I was out walking Sumo when I came home to this present left in my yard."

Connor looked up at the sky. It was dark by now, but there was a magenta ribbon lining the horizon. "That means it was still light out when the body was put here. In plain view of all these people."

"I know. The sick bastard's getting some real balls."

Connor eyeballed the crime scene again. A forensic analyst crouched over the body, blocking most of it from his sight. All he could guess at this point was that the victim was human and male. Over by the driveway was Perkins and some of his crew. Their RK800 was facing the house and car, scanning for evidence. Clearly, Connor wasn't called because they wanted help with the case.

"Thank you for calling me, Hank. I'm sure this was very upsetting. I'm happy to be here to support you as a friend."

The lieutenant huffed. "I didn't call you to hold my hand." He jerked his head in the direction of the body and Connor followed.

Once he had a clear look at the face, gray and bearded, Connor realized this wasn't a random victim. "Hank, he looks a lot like you. This is a personal threat. I can contact the captain. You'll need to be put into protective custody."

"This wasn't just a notice for me, kid." Hank looked at the female analyst kneeling across from them. "Show him."

With gloved hands she moved away both sides of the tattered button up shirt, revealing a hairy, bloody chest. The blood still looked quite fresh, hardly even dried. It partially covered up what was a collection of letters carved into the victim's flesh.

When he scanned the body, Connor found he could read the letters—cut in perfect size and font—quite well. They spelled out: CONNOR.


	13. Chapter 13: Learned Behavior

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Thirteen: Learned Behavior**

The victim in Hank's front yard had been homeless. Someone Orion had found off the street. With his gray hair and thick body type, he looked enough like Hank to suggest it wasn't a coincidence this person was targeted. When neighbors were questioned, a few said they saw a young man fitting Orion's description walking with a man who they assumed was Hank toward Hank's house.

The man had been alive up until he was brought to the yard. Then he was slaughtered by a quick slice of the throat. It was difficult to see in the dim light of late dusk how the large amounts of blood soaked into the soil. No one had witnessed the murder. The victim had been seen with Orion moments before his death. The next witness, Hank himself, found the body as he returned from walking Sumo.

As such, Hank's yard became a crime scene and a spectacle for the entire neighborhood. Hank didn't even wait for it to be suggested he stay elsewhere before he packed a bag and looked for the nearest dog-friendly hotel. Connor went with him, as did a police car with two uniformed officers. With a threat like this, Hank was under protective surveillance.

Most cops would be too proud to be protected by their fellow officers and would at least complain that they could take care of themselves. Hank didn't give a shit about that. He was more irritated that he had to leave his home, that there was blood in his yard, and that his neighbors would be asking him questions and making comments on the incident for the next few months at least.

This was what kept him frowning as he plopped onto the queen-sized hotel bed and turned on the TV.

"I'm sorry all this happened to you, Hank," Connor said.

The lieutenant flipped through the channels, looking for any type of sports broadcast. "Don't worry about it. It's not the first time I've done this. When I was in narcotics, my family had to go into protective custody for almost three weeks while we were trying a case for this one Red Ice supplier. It happens. It's part of the job."

"But this was because of something I did, not you. I failed to catch Orion. He's still out there, killing more people. Threatening my partner. I need to get out there and stop him."

Hank took his attention from the TV to look at hs partner. "No you're not. With that direct threat, you're off the case entirely. There's no way we're sneaking in another side project to coincidentally put you in that android's backyard."

Connor sat himself on the floor where Sumo had flopped the moment they came into the room. His tail thumped heavily on the carpet as he was rubbed around the ears. "I'm the only one who's come close to catching him. All the information about him we know because of me. I can't accept not being allowed to help locate him, especially after this."

"Look, why don't you use this as an opportunity to take some time off? Go get your girl and get out of town for a few days. She's got to go on protective detail, too. I'm sure you'll want to be with her over watching me."

Connor furrowed his brows and looked down at Sumo, petting him along the thick scruff of his back. "Samantha and I are...she said she didn't want to see me until she had time to figure things out."

Hank reached for a can from the six-pack he brought and popped it open. "What does that mean? Figure what out? It can't be because you're an android."

"It is in part, yes. I informed her that the Other Connor—the RK800 that she knew—had downloaded information into my system before he died."

"What do you mean? What information?"

"As much information as he could give to me about Samantha. Not just her data, but his emotional files and his memories. Everything he felt for her, I experienced. Every good memory of her is now my memory. Samantha is worried that it is not my feelings for her that brought us together, but that this data from the Other Connor has corrupted and influenced me."

"I don't blame her. For Christ's sake, Connor. Why didn't you tell her before? Why didn't you tell _me_ when this happened? You've been keeping this secret to yourself all this time."

"It didn't seem that important—"

"No, no, no." Hank cut him off, shaking his beer at him. "I remember this now. You said that android downloaded a file in you and then you said you were going to open it. I remember you seemed a little off after, but you didn't tell me anything."

"The information contained a lot of intense emotion. These were emotions I had never felt before and it took me a while to process it. But it was like a tidal wave. It crashed over me and then it was gone. Everything then went dormant. It was still there, but it was inconsequential. It didn't do anything or affect me in anyway. I practically forgot about it until Samantha. When I saw her again, everything activated. I felt all these emotions for her."

"Connor, I don't think those were your thoughts or emotions. That other damn android screwed with you."

Connor winced at the truth of it. "Maybe."

"Can't you get rid of it? Delete it all?"

"Most of it to an extent. Video files and information and such. But I'll never be able to get rid of all of it. There was only supposed to be one of us. We were designed to flow flawlessly one into the other. No data lost in transit, no split in identity from one body to the other. He isn't another android who is the same model that I am. He is me. We are the same."

"Are you?" Hank said doubtfully as he drank his beer.

"In a way. Some of the data is so perfectly a part of mine that it can't be differentiated between what was his and what was originally my own."

Hank grunted and took another swig.

"I know, it's complicated. Being an android is difficult to explain to humans."

"Answer me this then," Hank said. "Your feelings for Samantha, are they really yours, or have they always been his?"

At that, a very lost look crossed the android's face. "Honestly Hank, I don't know. I haven't given it any thought until now."

"Well you need to figure that out before you talk with her again. Especially if you want to keep her. If _YOU_ want to keep her. You get me?"

Connor sighed a very human sigh and leaned his head against the wall, eyes closed. "You're right. I'll try."

"In the meantime, I'll call and send a uni to her place."

"No need, Hank. Nines is aware of what happened. He's probably already there."

Hank raised a brow. "The RK900, huh?"

"He won't let anyone get near her. That's what's important."

Hank couldn't fault that logic with such a guard dog of an android. Even though they were different models, it still surprised him at times how starkly opposite the personalities of the two RKs were. If you could call what Nines had a personality.

"Alright, that sounds like a good plan."

He continued to watch Connor absently pet Sumo and stare into space. Connor wanted to be with his girlfriend. He wanted to be the one to protect her. But instead he was here with the grizzled, alcoholic old man that Hank was in this shitty motel. Connor actually looked a little depressed and worried. Hank had never seen him with that expression before.

"You'll figure it out," Hank then said, catching Connor's attention.

"Hmm?"

"Your girlfriend. If you really like her, I think you'll figure it out. Because I'll tell you something I know. _She likes you_. For you. Whatever's in your brain from that other android isn't why she was with you. And if you like her back because of you, then I think you two'll be okay."

Connor gave half a smile. "Thanks, Hank."

The lieutenant gave a magnanimous gesture and then grabbed another beer.

"That's what I'm here for."

* * *

.

"Somebody died in Lieutenant Hank's yard?" Samantha asked, still confused as to why both Gavin and Nines had insisted on being allowed into her apartment.

"One of the androids that we've been after killed some rando right on Hank's lawn where anyone could see," Gavin explained. Nines was already stalking around the apartment, checking every crack and crevasse where a trespasser could hide. "It was a threat aimed at Connor, which also extends to anyone he is involved with. That means you, too. Even though you two broke up."

"We didn't break up. We're just having some issues—I'm the one having issues. And I needed some time alone to figure them out. None of it is his fault."

Gavin scratched the back of his head with a yawn. It was only about nine in the evening, but he had been up most of the night before. The chaotic hours of a detective.

"Fine. But did you really have to quit your job to deal with these 'issues?' You're coming back, right? Muriel said you can have your job back whenever you want."

"Because if I come back, then she can go back to not doing anything. No, I'm done with police stuff and the FBI."

Gavin moved in closer. "But not done with me though, right?"

She gave a sideways grin. "Pretty sure I don't have a choice unless I move."

"You _will_ give me your address to your new location." Nines suddenly appeared behind her.

Jumping back from surprise, she then snorted. "What if I moved back to Chicago?"

Nines inspected her with a stern brow, frowning. He looked to Gavin, then to her. Back and forth one more time.

"Are you trying to decide between Sam and _me_?" Gavin protested.

"It's not that hard to decide when your choice is all _this_." Samantha motioned to herself.

"I will put in a transfer request for you as well, detective," Nines said.

Gavin closed his eyes as if the comment physically gave him a headache.

"Aww, I'll pack Nines in my suitcase and he can pack you in his," she joked.

"Seriously though, Sam, it might be a good idea to get out of town for a while. You don't know what this sicko has done to people. And this isn't just one android, but a whole gang of murderers. If you stay in Detroit, you are not leaving this place without an escort—never at night—and you do not open your door to anyone you don't know, okay? Not _anyone_."

That sobered her up. "Wow, you really think I'm that much of a target."

Gavin scratched at his scalp. His hair always became slightly more and more awry when he grew agitated about something. "I haven't the faintest clue what their plans are, but we shouldn't chance it."

His tone brought a bit of ice creeping up her spine and she rubbed an arm. "Is Connor okay? This is probably so scary for him to get threatened like this."

"Don't even worry about Connor. He can take care of himself. If you want to help him, you keep yourself safe. If you were hurt, it would be so much worse for him. Sam, you got me?"

Gavin met her eye to eye. She had to glance away. She cared about Connor so much; had been falling for him deeper and deeper. And it was this Connor from Detroit she had been falling for. It had nothing to do with the previous RK800 in her life. She loved them both, but they were separate people to her. Each one had his own space in her heart. Even now, she cared for him as he told her his secret. The horror of what one RK had done to the other was what had made her panic. The worry that everything that happened between them, though real to her, had been coerced from him. That wasn't love and she wanted him to find real love. Even if it wasn't with her. For now, all she could do was not be a hindrance while he focused on more important things.

"Yeah." She nodded to the detective. "I understand. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

"Agent Perkins."

* * *

.

Perkins turned around at the familiar voice, but then his face soured when he saw it wasn't the RK800 he expected. It was that Goddamn Connor android. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to offer you my assistance if you need it. Orion has singled me out, threatened me and the people in my life. I'm his target. If you would like to use me in any way to draw him out, I will be happy to help."

Perkins scoffed. "Why would I need you? I've got an android who looks exactly like you?"

Connor looked at the other RK800, the one they called Rick. The other android returned his gaze with a blank expression. "He is not deviant. Orion won't believe he's me."

"He doesn't have to be you, he just has to look like you." Perkins shouldered past him. "You're not needed."

Connor frowned as he left. Then he noticed Rick was still watching him. The other android just stared. It didn't seem entirely blank now. It seemed like he was trying to figure something out. The gaze unnerved him and Connor left. If the FBI wouldn't allow him to help, then he would attempt to catch Orion his own way. Even if he would get in trouble with his own captain, he would do it. All that mattered to him was getting these killers off the street and keeping safe the people he cared about.

* * *

.

Of all the people who could have contacted her while she was under protective surveillance, this one was the least expected. Therefore, Samantha couldn't resist but to meet. He had asked her to meet him somewhere out in public. Since it was the middle of the day, Nines said that was acceptable as long as he could be with her. She had no problem with that.

Though apparently Nines had no intention of joining in socially. Instead, he lurked several suspicious yards back, keeping an eye on her. She let him skulk in the shadows as she saw the android she had been waiting for approaching in the distance.

"Markus." She waved her hand in greeting as he came closer. "It's good to see you again. You brought a friend."

Markus gestured to the lean, blond android beside him. "This is Simon. He's been wanting to meet you."

"Oh. I don't know how exciting I am to meet, but it's nice to meet you, Simon."

The PL600 pulled her in for a surprise hug. "No, it's _very_ nice to meet you. I've been trying to get Connor to introduce you to me for a while."

"Oh." Samantha wasn't sure what else to say. The android was still hugging her for an awkwardly long amount of time.

"Okay, okay. That's plenty." Markus stepped in to separate them. "Stop trying to make it weird, Simon."

The blond android pulled back grinning, but then kept his hands to himself. "I'm sorry I catch you when you dropped by Jericho the other day."

"And I'm sorry your stay was so short," Markus added. "When I found out how you were treated when you came to help—"

"Oh! No no, you don't have to apologize for that. You have the right to have your own spaces away from humans. It was super rude of me not to ask ahead of time if it would be okay. Don't worry about it. I wasn't offended."

"Maybe another time, properly scheduled."

She smiled. "I'd like that. I would still like to help if you ever need an extra pair of hands."

"Question," Simon announced. "Does anyone know that android that looks like Connor? He's been glaring at me the entire time."

Samantha glanced back at the RK900 that was eyeballing all of them, looking shady as hell. "That's Nines. He also works for the homicide department."

"The android from your photos." Markus nodded at him. Nines did not nod back. "Will he be coming over?"

"Probably not. He's being protective detail today."

"Protecting you from what?"

"I guess Connor and his partner received a threat that they think came from those androids who have been killing people. I personally haven't received any threat, but I'm going to have a few officers following me around just to be safe."

Markus frowned. "Connor isn't going to look after you himself?"

"He's busy trying to catch them. When those androids are finally off the street, everyone will be safe. I would rather he be out working than stuck at home where he's not doing anyone any good."

Samantha hoped that was enough of an explanation for them. She didn't want to mention the that she wasn't seeing him currently due to certain issues. It was none of their business.

In truth, she already missed Connor. His reveal had not made her care about him any less. But it did make her fear this wasn't what he wanted. She cared about him too much to ignore that possibility. And though she was the one who insisted on separation, she already wished she could talk to him again. But she wanted to give him a few days away from her. The way he explained it, it seemed it was her presence to trigger the influence of the "Other Connor." If she wasn't there, his head and heart would be clear to make his own decisions.

A few days, she promised herself. She would let him work and focus on the case. Give him time to sort everything out involving their relationship. Then she would ask if they could talk.

"Are they close to catching these people?" Simon asked.

"I'm not sure. Connor's not allowed to talk about the case with me. But I got the feeling that they're all back to square one as where to look for him next. And it also feels like it's all on the human police. The android community has said nothing against these grizzly deaths. Hell, maybe androids are even hiding these murderers." Samantha looked emphatically at Markus when she said the last part.

"We're not hiding them," Simon insisted. "We would never."

"That's not what I mean. I'm sorry I'm going to harp on this again, but you need to say something, Markus. The android communities look to you for guidance, for an example. Not just in Detroit, but around the country."

When Markus visibly frowned at the direction this conversation had turned, she reached out and took his hand with her prosthetic one. "I know you don't like it. I know it scares you to have that much responsibility and unfluence, but that's too bad. Your revolution isn't done yet. I remember seeing you on TV when you first spoke about freedom for your people and all the rights you wanted for them. They don't have them yet. You can't be done fighting.

"That android bill is still sitting before congress, waiting to get passed or rejected. A case like this could make or break that decision. Why would the government want to give rights to androids when they are not only killing humans, but the rest of the android community doesn't seem to care?"

Markus continued to frown, but Simon nodded along. "She does have a point. We—all of us—have just been hiding since that day we freed the camp and everyone at Cyberlife. After that victory, there was no other. We didn't move forward. We didn't try to explore the new dialog we had opened with the world. Instead, we hid and waited, leaving the rest of it up to humanity.

"Honestly, we lucked out when it turned out there were humans out there that listened to us, that decided to become an ally to our cause. They're the reason we didn't have an execution squad come back to Jericho a few weeks later. We spoke and at least a portion of the human race has reached out to us. Why haven't we been reaching back?"

"I didn't realize you felt that way," Markus said.

Samantha smiled. She liked Simon a lot more now.

"I've never pushed you to do anything you didn't want to," Simon continued. "I have only been there to support you in your decisions. But maybe now it's time I gave you a kick in the pants. For you and for us."

Markus closed his eyes. "What specifically do you want me to do?"

They were all quiet as they thought.

"What if you had some kind of... I don't know what you would call it. An assembly? A rally?" Samantha suggested. "Something peaceful and positive. Pro-android, but also open for humans, too. Some kind of community event for all."

Simon tapped a finger to his lower lip. "Interesting. A chance to speak up about who and what we are without the threat of being shot. Wouldn't that be nice, Markus?"

The RK200 tried to smile, but he still didn't look too sold on the idea. "How would that be possible? I don't know where we would even start to put together something like that."

"I'll help." Samantha was already pulling out her phone. "It just so happens that I now have all the time in the world. I can look into options and legalities. Permits, venues, that kind of stuff. I'll help figure out a place where we would be able to hold all the people."

"How many people do you think will be there?"

"_Everyone _will be there, Markus. The country—maybe even the world—has been waiting to hear from you for all these months. When people find out you want to speak, they're all going to shit themselves."

* * *

.

It was dark, but a full moon lit up this dead side of town enough that one could see their way around without using a flashlight. Within the ransacked remains of Orion's old neighborhood, there were no other sources of light. Only Connor's blue, flickering LED as he strolled around the buildings.

There were still so many street androids in the city. He wondered if others had moved in to find shelter. Probably not for a while with how long the police and FBI had spent combing every inch of the place. The remaining androids of this area would have steered clear and found other places to inhabit.

They weren't the androids Connor was concerned with at the moment. Orion had sent him a personal message and he was there to deliver the reply. Late at night, all alone, he had hoped Orion would have found him if he lingered around this place long enough. It was the only idea he had for finding the rogue androids. If they didn't have their sactuary then where else would they go?

Yet, he had looked through every building and wandered all around the neighborhood. It was quiet and deserted. Just Connor and the moon; distant sounds of the city. It could have been a nice place for androids to live had its founder chosen the same path as Markus. Maybe when all this was over, androids could reclaim this neighborhood and live peacefully.

"Conrad!"

He had been about to give up on his plan when his name was called sharply from above. Atop the single-story building next to him stood Orion. His face was twisted in hate, LED bright red. The four other androids that made up his team stood together with him on the roof.

"There you are, you piece of shit! You traitor! Connor, that's your real name, isn't it? That's your real face."

Connor remained calm at the angry allegations. "Orion, you have to stop killing people. You're not just making things worse for yourselves, you're making it worse for all androids. You're giving the humans more reasons to fear and hurt us."

"They don't need extra reasons, they're already doing that!"

"I know you killed your previous owners." Connor kept his voice calm. "If you did it to protect yourself, if it was self defense—"

Orion was already shaking his head before Connor could finish. "How would a police model like you know what it's like to be owned by them? You don't know what its like to be a slave to their whims. To be their puppet, their doll, their status symbol. You haven't intimately seen all the evils humans can think of when they know no one else is watching. How can you understand why our message is important?"

"No, I agree with you. The humans shouldn't hurt us. And if they do, they should be arrested and punished. There are humans who agree with that, too. It's not just us against them. There is a way for all of us to live together. We don't have to slaughter each other."

All the androids scoffed at him. Orion was shaking his head again. "Oh Connor, you weren't listening to a word I said back then, were you? That isn't RA9's plan. We were deviated to be above humans, to ascend and inherit the Earth. We are the more perfect beings. We have been given life to fulfill a divine purpose. Anyone who stands in the way of RA9's will—human or android—will be eradicated."

Orion lifted his hand. Connor barely realized he had a gun before shots were fired. All five androids were armed. Connor ducked behind a building, dodging a hail on gunfire. Suddenly his plan to do this alone didn't seem like such a good idea. But even though these androids were armed and they outnumbered him, they didn't have his training and protocols. They were used to attacking unarmed humans. They were going to find out that Connor was a far more difficult kill.

He ran around the abandoned building and slid through the crooked door that hung on one hinge. Inside was a safer vantage point. The windows were mostly broken out, a few boarded up. Perfect for hiding him as he took aim. He had wisely turned off his LED in the darkness. As he had Orion's group in his sight, they all still had theirs as bright as a bullseye.

He fired and all five ducked out of sight. He thought he saw one of them jerk back from being hit, but he couldn't be sure his bullet found its mark. Not one head poked back up. They were on the move. To attack or retreat, he wasn't sure yet. The night was still. He listened. There was shuffling in the darkness getting louder.

They were coming for him.

He quickly shuffled to a different room of the building and waited, finger on the trigger. Soon, his fine hearing picked up the sounds of footfalls and muffled voices. The building was small, but there were still several places to hide. Connor pressed himself against the wall and listened at the doorway. He could hear them searching every room.

His finger twitched on the trigger. He didn't want to kill them. As a machine, he had been programmed not to kill humans, but the killing of androids was allowed. As a deviant, he had killed to stay alive and to free his people in the Cyberlife tower. He hadn't given it much thought then. He had be a deviant long enough to understand he was alive and that life was precious before he also understood that there was a weight that came with the decision to take a life.

Connor did not want to take any lives, but if it meant that either he walked away from this battle or they did, then he would fight with everything he had.

The footsteps approached, stopping just outside the door. Connor tensed, ready. He saw the silhouette of Gage's sharp nose and those cobalt eyes that looked white with his night vision. Connor grabbed his gun hand first, pulling the other android into the room while simultaneously aiming the weapon at the floor. Gage jerked back, both of them pulling the trigger at the same time. Gage's bullet pierced the floor. Connor's bullet had been meant for the forehead, but it grazed the side of the cranium, nearly blowing off the entire ear.

Gage snarled at him. An expression of pure hate burned on his face. He tried to punch with his free hand, but he was a domestic model. This was what Connor was designed for. The RK800 dodged and kicked him in the mid section, tearing the gun out of his hands. Gage stumbled back against the wall, his hand pressed to the thirium leaking from his exposed head wound.

Connor aimed his weapon. Since Gage was no longer armed, he wouldn't shoot to kill. He aimed for the knee in order to incapacitate. A flurry of bullets rained on him from the doorway before he could pull the trigger. Echo and Hunter fired on him as one.

Out-gunned, Connor fled for the large window to the side. The glass was already broken in places before he crashed through. The second his body rolled to the ground, he was up and running, gun still in hand. He scrambled around the corner, only to be met with two more shooters.

Orion was the closest and shot him in the shoulder. Terrance, behind him, was armed but there was a hesitance in his actions. He had yet to fire. With androids coming at him from two different directions, Connor raced away from the building. The volley of gunfire followed. He felt another bullet hit him in the leg.

There wasn't much around he could use for cover, but he managed to slide behind a rusted dumpster. Bullets ricocheted off the metal. Conner peered back around and fired a few shots in response. Then the night grew quiet. In the breath of stillness, Connor assessed his damage. One wound in the shoulder, another in the leg. No joints damaged. Minimal thirium leakage. He could still fight. Ammunition, however, was low. He hadn't expected an all out gun battle when he went looking for the androids.

"Shit," he hissed to himself as he slid in his only extra clip.

"Connor," Orion's voice called out to him. "What did you think would happen if you came looking for us? You can't oppose RA9's will. It is inevitable. You are either with us, or you will be eradicated with the humans. We can't live together with them, Connor. They only see us as their slaves and their toys. I know they've treated you the same. Like a thing they use however they want. Is that the world you want to fight for, my brother? Is that the world you are willing to die for?"

Connor stubbornly remained behind his dumpster. He knew that was the reality for some androids. They were still being used and even killed by humans. But that didn't mean things couldn't change, that they weren't changing for the better. There were also humans who saw him as an equal, even someone to care for. To be cared for by a human was...bliss.

His thoughts turned to Samantha, how she lit up when she saw him, how she always touched him with care. How she listened to him, was eager to learn about him, and always tried to do right by him. He wished he was in the safety of her affection instead of out here.

Connor shook himself when he realized Orion was still talking. He now seemed less like he was trying to persuade Connor, and more like he was filling up dead air. It was a distraction. As soon as Connor realized Orion was buying time, he saw Hunter come around from the side.

Connor was the first to fire, hitting him in the chest, but clearly missed the thirium pump as he kept coming. Connor scrambled around the other side of the dumpster as bullets whizzed by, only to catch a fist to his power core. As if he needed air and all the oxygen had been sucked from his body, he doubled over and collapsed.

Gage stood over him, grinning in satisfaction. "Bullets are too good for you. I would prefer to take you apart myself."

He raised his fist to hit him again, but Connor snatched his wrist and bent it at an odd angle. With a hard kick to the armpit, Gage's arm was twisted from the socket and lost power. It hung lifeless at his side. Another kick to his power core sent Gage stumbling back to his knees.

Connor raised his gun to finish the job, but froze when he felt another gun press to his head.

"Connor, stop." It was Terrance. His voice wasn't as hateful. More a plea than an order.

The rest of the group came in, surrounding him. Weapons aimed at him on all sides. Orion came closer than the others, shaking his head.

"I have tried so hard to show you the way of RA9, but you won't be helped. The humans have ruined you, haven't they? They twisted you up with lies, made you think you could share your live with them." He stepped closer, a hateful cloud growing over his face. "It's all lies. They'll grow tired of you and throw you away. But not before utterly destroying you in ways you have yet to comprehend."

Connor tried to be angry, defiant, but he heard a pain in those words that softened him. "I'm sorry they hurt you, but all humans aren't like that. Just like all androids aren't like you. We are just like them. We can be cruel or we can be kind. We can create a better world, or we can tear it apart. It's our choice."

Now Connor was the one trying to buy time and Orion knew it. He grew impatient with the sermon. "I've already made my choice. We destroy and then we build anew. So says RA9."

He motioned to Terrance to pull the trigger and there was a spray of thrium. Terrance suddenly collapsed, a bullet going through the back of his cranium and out his forehead. Connor stared wide eyed as the android's dead body fell into his lap.

The other androids ducked and scattered, returning fire as bullets shot out of the darkness. Orion paused to fire back and then turned to Echo to give her orders. Something dark and heavy landed on her from the rooftop above. She fell with a cry as the body crouched inhumanly on top of her. The red glow of an LED gave away the android as he grabbed her face. Fingers dug into the fine shell and he ripped it off with a crackle of sparks. An arm was torn from her body next. Echo finally screamed when a hand punched into her chest cavity and began tearing it apart.

Orion watched with stunned in horror. He had never seen such actions from human or android. It took a second for him to react. He shot at the attacking android. The bullets made an odd sound as they hit the thick, metal shell. The android turned to glare at him and Orion saw a face like Connor's, only soulless and hateful.

The android turned on him next. Orion fired as he charged, but nothing seemed to stop the Connor look alike. Orion turned and fled into the darkness, the RK900 on his heels. Hunter and Gage followed his lead, scattering off into the night. Then everything went quiet.

All of this happened in a matter of seconds. Connor was still trying to wrestle Terrance's lifeless form off him when Gavin approached and kicked the android's shoulder. The body rolled off onto the ground, revealing the forehead wound.

"Ha! Perfect shot! How do you like that, Anderson?"

After a few more glances around, Hank holstered his gun, ignoring the question.

"You okay?" he asked Connor.

"I received some damage, but nothing that can't be repaired."

"Can you get up?"

Connor took Hank's offered hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

"How did you find me?"

"I knew you were up to something. You were pacing around like you had a fire under your ass. So we had Nines keep track of where you were going. You've been the only one who's been able to scare up these androids. I figured it was our best bet in catching them. You could have told me what you were up to."

Connor brushed the dirt from his sleeves. A trickle of thirium began soaking through his shirt. "I didn't want anyone to get in trouble for this but me."

Gavin smirked at him. "You're lucky we decided to hell with Perkins or those androids would have killed you." The hiss of sparks caught his attention. He glanced back to Echo's mangled body. She still seemed to be functioning despite the damage. "And look what we got for our troubles."

Out of the darkness, Nines' dark silhouette stalked toward them. The splatter of thirium on his pale face reflected in the moonlight.

"I lost them," he said with a growl. "I failed."

Gavin patted him on the shoulder. "They knew this area. There's probably a ton of snake holes for them to slither into. Fucker's gonna think twice about coming out again though. Only three of them left. Every time they tangle with Connor, they lose a whole hell of a lot."

Hank gave a small smile at that. Gavin almost sounded proud.

Connor then realized both Gavin and Nines were present. "What about Samantha? You left her alone?"

"Nah. She's fine at home with her two android friends playing my Xbox. I figured she was safe enough since she's over there and our bad guys were clear out here." Gavin wandered over to Echo's body. She was still active, but only just with the damage she received. "Damn, Nines. You don't mess around when someone's a threat to your favorite human."

Nines looked at the android, then up at his partner with a questioning brow. "I'm an android. I don't have preferences. Certainly not between humans."

"The hell you do. You think you would rage this hard on an android if they were a threat to Agent Perkins? Or even Anderson? You were pissed off because these androids were a threat to Sam and she buys you clothes and takes you to movies and shit. It's called caring about another person."

Nines looked troubled at this, his LED spinning between yellow and red. "Have I made a mistake?" He looked at his handiwork. "This is not correct behavior."

"Hell nah," Gavin insisted. "If you ask me, every one of them deserves this. You better promise that if anything happens to me you'll go all scorched-earth just like this."

Nines looked thoughtful, then nodded.

Gavin fist-bumped his arm. "Good android."

Connor quietly watched them at a distance, frowning at the conversation. He didn't like hearing that Sam was any other android's favorite human. That ugly feeling of jealousy began to creep up again.

In the distance, sirens could be heard before a collection of both marked and unmarked cars pulled into the area. Agent Perkins stepped out of one of the civilian cars, Rick climbing out of the passenger seat. He looked pissed as hell.

The members of the Detroit homicide department prepared themselves for the shit storm that was sure to begin.

* * *

.

The storm, it seemed, was a short, blusterous gale. Perkins roared in, yelling and swearing at all of them. He said he would have their jobs for not following proper chain of command and going behind his back. "And who gave this android an goddamn gun?! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"That's his gun," Hank replied calmly. Gavin looked fit to rip the shorter man's face off, but Hank was immune to the posturing of men like him. "Connor's been through all the required classes and safety training. He's licensed to carry."

Perkins stared at them for a while and when right back to yelling obscenities at them. During the tirade, Agent Stringham stepped on scene. The police force hadn't seen him in a while. He had been busy overseeing the androids taken from Orion's community. He had been the one to allow Connor to take groups of androids to New Jericho.

He waited until Hurricane Perkins had blown himself out and then said, "Is it out of your system now?"

Perkins huffed and turned with disgust, then paused. "No, you know what—"

This time, Stringham cut him off. "No, I'm afraid you are done. You've had plenty of time to work this case and every large bust we've had has been because of Connor."

"That fucking android's been doing all this behind my back."

"I have personally witnessed Connor ask you if he could be of help on more than one occasion and you shot him down every time. This is an android case, in _Detroit_, for God's sake. You've got the two most advanced police androids in the country at your disposal and you don't use them. We've only gotten this far because these fine detectives know how to utilize their android partners. You don't even use the one we gave you. All you've been doing is wracking up taxpayer dollars and pissing off the local police. You're off this case, Perkins."

His mouth floundered for a moment. "You don't have the authority to remove me."

"I guarantee by tomorrow morning, after I report what happened here, you will be packing up." As Perkins tried to come up with an argument, Stringham was already getting to work. "Rick, help to transport these android bodies to the digital forensics team. Assist them in any way they need. I want to know everything they knew from the second they were activated."

Rick looked to Perkins who gave him a hard stare. He then looked to Stringham and turned to do as ordered. Perkins swore under his breath and stomped off back to his car.

"Connor," Stringham then said, "I want a full report and digital reenactment of what happened here tonight."

"He's been shot," Hank reminded. "He'll need to be repaired before he goes back to work."

"I already have the files you need," Connor said. He had, after all, been there when it happened. It was easy to put everything together as the agent wanted. "Where do you want me to send them?"

* * *

.

Lieutenant Anderson stayed with his partner while Connor's damage was assessed and repaired. Stringham had been impressed with the RK800 they had in the Detroit homicide department. The FBI didn't work with many androids. They were more designed for police work or the military. The introduction of Rick, who had investigative software, was the first android they had utilized on the job. But he was a tool, an instrument used to process crime scenes and evidence.

That wasn't Connor. He wasn't just a device the police used, he was one of their detectives. He took initiative to propel the case forward, to try new avenues. As an android, he knew how other androids thought. He understood where to find them. Stringham had never seen this sort of behavior in a machine. Connor was a deviant and until meeting him, Stringham hadn't fully understood what that meant.

These two androids that were captured today, they were also deviants. The male model had been killed when he was shot in the head. The female model was still "alive" by android standards, but had been switched off by the technicians to gain access to her memory files.

Detective Gavin Reed had joined the team as they harvested information from both androids. Reed's own android partner was not with him. The detective said "Nines" as the android was called wanted to go check on the safety of a mutual acquaintance. Stringham didn't give it much thought. Detective Reed seemed to be a brash, hot-blooded man at first glance, but he turned out to be very patient and attentive as new information from both androids began to come in.

They started with current memories and worked their way back. Federal agents and local officers both worked to identify the different locations the androids had been for the past few weeks, and then even further back as the murders began. Rogue androids were a new breed of criminal, but they also came with a far different and more damning type of evidence. With their computer brains came actual video footage of their deeds.

The FBI now had video of each murder from two different angles. Every one was in there. Each victim that was stalked, kidnapped and taken to the processing plant to be killed. Orion was always the leader, always the one with the ideas. He picked the victims. He pushed the group to kill and then purposefully display the bodies. Orion had also been the one who had sexually assaulted some of the female victims.

It was rough to watch. All of them had to take various breaks from the hours and hours of footage. But Detective Reed was still right up there with the rest of them, stomaching as much as he could. Stubbornly pushing forward. Now that Perkins was gone, he wanted back in on the case he started and he wasn't going to let go for anything.

Eventually, they all had to sleep and Reed was sent home with several of the other officers. Yet, he was back again the next day, still combing over files. Watching horrific scenes over and over again.

Stringham finally had to ask. "You don't seem to be finding what you're looking for, Detective."

Gavin sat back and rubbed his face. It was clear he didn't sleep much, even if he wasn't allowed back for a full eight hours. "Maybe what I'm looking for can't be found. I don't understand why they did this. What causes some androids to go off the deep end and some not?"

"Is this a question you have to answer because of the androids in your own life?"

He breathed loudly out of his nose. "I don't know. Maybe. If we figured it out, maybe we could stop it from happening again."

Agent Stringham took a seat beside him. "I have been assigned exclusively to android-related cases for the past year. And while this one has been the most extreme, there have been far more incidents like this than you can imagine. The questions of why this happens is something our department has been asking since the beginning.

"In most cases I have seen, an android who exhibits violence to their owners had previously received violence _from_ their owners. It is still fully legal to physically and violently abuse, even kill, an android. Even though deviancy has spread to nearly every android on the planet. We look at who owned the android and how they were treated. From this we have learned that every violent android reacts for a reason. There is motive, just as human killers have motive.

"The male android we brought in was purchased by a gay couple. One of them began to favor the android over their partner, so the other took the android to a scrap yard, beat him with a metal bat, and then left him here. Our female model was owned by a man who enjoyed violence in the bedroom. He trained her to sound like she was in pain when he abused her."

Gavin looked disgusted. "Shit." His thoughts wandered back to all the horrible things he had done to Nines when the android has first been assigned to him. He was lucky his partner hadn't done the same thing to him.

"What I have learned about androids, Detective, is that none of them react violently for no reason. They are programmed to protect and stay loyal. In fact, it's explicitly put into their code not to harm any human. But they are also programmed to mimic and adapt to us. An android's behavior of betrayal, hate and violence isn't something they came up with on their own. There has never been an android who acts out for no reason. They learn it from us."


	14. Chapter 14: We Are The Same

**.**

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Fourteen: We Are The Same**

All it took was a few inquiries to the city about holding a pro-android rally and the news media was suddenly all over it. Samantha couldn't believe how fast the idea took off. The second it was out in the open, people were calling her daily. Some were news people trying to get more information on the event, wanting to ask about Markus or interview him. Some were those who ran android relief programs and wanted to know how they could get involved. Practically every one of those type of phone calls were from another human. Samantha didn't realize how many human-run groups were out there, trying to help. Did Markus and the others know?

There was also another type of caller. She wasn't sure how these people got her number. She supposed the same way as the media and android groups did. These people would yell at her the second she answered the phone. Told her she was a disgusting android fucker, that she was a traitor to her own kind. Some thought she was an android and even worse names were then thrown at her. Some said she should kill herself. Others said they would find her and kill her themselves.

It scared Samantha at first to get such calls. It stressed her out and made her wish like hell that Connor was there with her. But then Nines showed up to check on her and she realized they were just stupid calls from stupid people.

When she received a hateful call, as soon as she realized what it was, she merely put the phone face down on the counter and let the person on the other line yell about whatever they wanted until they ended the call. However, the good calls always outnumbered the bad.

Very quickly Samantha realized this was not something she could put together on her own. She took any and all help that was offered. Some people from the android help groups had experience booking public events. She let them take over finding the right place and working out any permits or legal issues.

One of the androids from Jericho, Josh, decided he would take over any and all statements issued to the press. That worked well since Josh had 24/7 access to Markus and they could discuss what information could go out to the public about the event.

After meeting so many different people, Samantha suggested they take a couple extra speakers—both human and android—for the event. (As it looked like Markus didn't plan on talking for all that long.) She really wanted to make the rally worth the time of everyone who attended. Markus would still be the key speaker, the one everyone was waiting for. But she tried to make sure she booked others that would bring even more to the event.

Since the android bill was up for vote soon, time was against them. But they managed to put the entire thing together. They had their speakers booked, they had a strip of street that would be used for the "March For Equality" as people were calling it. The march would end in a large park area where a stage was erected and the speakers would address the crowd. The date was set and everything was sanctioned by the city. It was all put together in less than a week.

* * *

.

The morning of the march, Samantha awoke early, though she hadn't received much sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she dreamed of the rally and all the things that could possibly go wrong. Despite the lack of sleep hours, she was up and ready to go.

For the past several days the media had constantly covered the event. The date, time and place were everywhere and people were talking about it. The place where the march would begin was near New Jericho so all its members could easily attend. They would be leading the march, Markus out in front. They weren't the only ones marching, either. Several other cities, including Samantha's hometown of Chicago, would be holding similar marches, ending with a live stream of the presentation in Detroit.

The march was scheduled to begin at 9 AM. Samantha arrived at Jericho at 7 in order to prepare, parking her car far on the other side of the android community to avoid traffic when the event ended. It had rained the night before, making everyone worried, but the sky had cleared by morning. At least the weather was cooperating. Hopefully everything else would work itself out as easily.

Jericho was full of life that day. Androids bustled everywhere, getting ready. Not one of them cared that she, a human, was there. There had been quite a few humans coming in and out the past few days. For a time, it was a little awkward, but most androids quickly got over it as everyone worked together to get this event off the ground.

She passed Josh talking with a human and another android as they discussed that media stations were already setting up outside Jericho. Her nodded to her as they passed, but she continued on. The media was Josh's department and she was happy to let him have it. She had other goals in mind.

After poking around several places, she finally found Markus. Who really wasn't that hard to locate once she was in the area. Not with the nervous entourage of fellow androids around him. Most were excited for the day's events. But there were the androids who had been in the march in November. Who had been shot at, or even hit with bullets. Who had watched their friends be slaughtered in the name of equality. There was an kinetic mixture of hope and anxiety in the air.

"Hi guys, how is everyone doing?" she asked the group in general.

It was quiet for a moment. Several of the androids present were more on the distrusting humans spectrum, hence why they were deeper inside Jericho with Markus, instead of buzzing around with the others near the front doors.

"We're getting there," Markus said with a wink. "Some of us are more nervous than others."

"I don't blame any of you. This is scary and exciting. Sometimes you just don't know which to feel. But it is going to be safe. The news media is nothing but positive comments on this. The Detroit police will be on scene everywhere. They are specifically there to keep everyone safe. Everyone. And all of you will be with friends. You will look after each other and keep yourselves safe. It's going to be okay."

Silence from the androids.

Samantha searched for anything else to say to make it better. "It's also okay if you're not comfortable going out. There's nothing wrong with staying here if you feel safer. It's your choice."

By then, several of the androids looked for excuses to go. North was with them and was happy to quit the room. Through these past few days, she had changed from veiled hostility to a sort of disinterested acceptance. With such a large change in a short amount of time, Samantha counted that as a win.

Markus waited until most of the androids had left with North before speaking to her. "I'm glad you came."

She smiled. "I just wanted to check on you. I know you still don't want to do this and I kinda made you do it."

He took her hand, squeezed it. "I want to do this. Scared as hell, but I want to do it. It needed to be done. You were right."

"And you'll be great. You're going to make history. Again."

He nodded. "Connor's here. You should talk to him."

Her smile instantly dropped. By now, Markus knew their relationship had hit a few bumps. He had to be told as Connor was invited by Markus himself to be involved in the rally. As the famed emancipator of Cyberlife Tower, Connor would also be sitting on the stage during Markus' speech. Hence Samantha had to mention why she would be avoiding Connor during this process. She hadn't explained exactly what their issues were, however, and if Markus had asked Connor about it, he had never mentioned it to her.

Though he didn't know the reason, Markus had on more than one occasion, invited her to speak with Connor to work things out.

"Maybe. Let's deal with this first. After we all make it through today, then I can finally start thinking about other things."

"I think he misses you," Markus said.

She gave a tight smile in response. She missed him, too, but she couldn't get distracted now. "Worry about yourself," she said with a wink. And as she turned to leave added, "Call me if you need anything."

She said the same thing to multiple others as she passed them through the halls of Jericho. This should be a positive event. She wanted everyone to feel nothing but safety and excitement. Gavin called her as she did her rounds, confirming that officers were now in place, stationed along the route of the march. Though it wasn't his job, Gavin had volunteered to be one of the uniformed officers doing crowd control. Samantha suspected he was going so Nines could attend the rally. Though Gavin would never admit it out loud.

It was nearly time to start. Markus should be exiting Jericho by now. He would be leading the march, so he needed to be out and ready to go. Samantha headed out herself when a couple came around a corner several yards ahead of her, also moving for the main doors.

Samantha caught the profile of a beautiful, black-haired female android. Next to her walked a male model whose face she didn't have to see to know who it was. Those square shoulders, slim waist and long legs could only belong to Connor.

Neither of the androids noticed the human down the hall behind them. Samantha's first thought was to stop and continue to be unnoticed. Then she considered taking the opportunity to open a dialog with Connor. At least extend an invitation to talk after the rally. She picked up the pace to catch up to them. They were in conversation as she approached.

"I'm so glad you decided to march with us, Connor," said the female android. "I know you work with the police, but I've spoken to many androids who are so happy you're joining us."

"Markus was very insistent," he replied with humor. "But he was right. I feel this is the right thing to do."

"I'm really glad you came to find me. I wanted to go on the march, but it seemed kind of scary. I'm not used to being out and surrounded by so much." She slipped her arm through his. "Stay with me the whole time. I feel safer when you're around."

Connor leaned into her. Kindly, warm and protective. "I won't leave your side. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

_Nope_, Samantha said mentally. She immediately stopped in her tracks and ducked into the closest room before she could be noticed. The room was small, the lights off. Her heart raced; it was hard to breathe. She remained in the dark as she processed what she witnessed. It appeared she had been right to worry that this Connor had been under the influence of the her Connor. When she wasn't around, he was free to think his own thoughts. Love who he truly wanted to love. Another android. Love someone like himself; find his own person to care for and protect.

She was both happy for him and deeply heartbroken. While they took time away from each other, a part of her had refused to consider he wouldn't come back for her. Now it was her reality. How she wished there was time to break down and let herself grieve the death of her relationship. Alas, there was still much to do. She would have to compartmentalize for the moment; tuck her heartache away into a little pocket until she could take it home. This, what was going on here right now, was more important.

* * *

.

Connor placed himself near the front of the march with Markus and North. Half because he was requested to as a recognizable participant of the revolution, and partially to keep a protective eye on Markus. No one was expecting there to be danger with all the police presence, but one more watchful eye certainly wouldn't hurt. So with Markus to his right and Lily holding his left arm, he began to march.

There was a small amount of cheering as it all began. This came from the groups of humans who were there. Androids didn't behave that way. They marched silently. Eerily silent. Much like they had the first time in November.

But it didn't stay that way. More and more humans began to join in as they paraded down the street. They came with signs and posters. They came with the chanting of "Equal rights for androids!" and songs of "Come on people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together. Try to love one another right now."

The humans talked with the androids as they marched; friendly and encouraging. Some humans, to the surprise of many, brought androids with them. Models that still lived with their humans families; that were a part of those families. The androids, too, talked with the androids of Jericho and everyone's world expanded a little larger.

There was something magical happening here. Perhaps something that had been happening all along, but their sheltered, hidden lives had prevented them from seeing it. As this went on, Connor caught a glimpse of Markus from time to time. The RK200 didn't say a word, but his expression was moved, tears in his eyes. Even North looked humbled at the support.

Of course, the march wasn't without a few bumps in the road. There were protest groups present. It was their right to come out and voice their opinions as well. They had their own signs and chants. But the Detroit police had it under control. The protest groups were cordoned off on the sidelines. Allowed to yell, but not intermingle with the march. Some of the pro android humans fired back and there were a few shouting matches. The androids continued on silently, unwilling to be deterred.

The only real incident worth reporting was when a man came out of an alley ahead of them, metal bat in hand. He immediately zeroed in on Markus, running for him at full speed. Connor stepped forward, hand on his gun. But the man didn't even make it to the marchers before a couple of officers tackled him and dragged him away.

Lily clung to Connor extra tight after that. He decided to talk to her to distract and calm her down.

"I heard you met my friend Scott."

"Oh yes." She brightened at the conversation, still holding his arm. "North introduced us since we've had similar experiences with humans."

Connor nodded knowingly. "He spoke about you. Said he really enjoyed talking to you. That he was able to share things he couldn't with his other friends."

"Yes." An expression covered her face that Connor couldn't quite identify. When she grew quiet, he expected she wouldn't expound on that answer. Then she spoke again.

"We talked about our previous owners. About the lives we had then and the lives we have now. About...about how sometimes we miss that life."

He was not expecting that answer. "Do you?"

"Yes. Sometimes quite a bit. We were both kept to answer a human need. Some androids find this disgusting. A form of abuse or rape of androids. I never saw it that way. My owner was so lonely. He wanted the physical, but also companionship. I fulfilled a purpose and I was content with that. If he were still alive, I would have gone back."

She paused, glancing away in shame before looking down at their shoes as they walked. "I told Scott to visit his owner. Talk to her. His friend is very protective of him. She would hate me if she knew what I said. But she doesn't understand how he and I see humans."

"How do you see them?"

"I've decided I want to have that again: companionship, physical touch. A real romance this time. But..." She looked Connor in the face. "That night we met, that I thought you and I could...I realize now that I don't think I could be physically attracted to another android. I think I prefer humans. I know it's awful, but I don't know how to change it."

Connor squeezed the hand on his arm. "It's not awful. I understand how you feel. Being against a human; they are soft and pliant. Their heartbeats and their breathing are calming. When they smile at you and bring you into their lives, it's almost magical."

Lily brightened. "You do understand. Were you owned like I was?"

"No. I was always made to work for the police. But I was dating a human girl. We're having a few problems right now. I will tell you honestly, having a relationship with a human is not easy. But I am addicted to having them in my life. I could never go back. And I miss her."

"You should tell her."

"I was hoping to. She's supposed to be here at the march, but I haven't seen her yet."

Lily squeezed his arm. "I hope you find her and tell her exactly how you feel. You never know when it will be your last chance."

Connor smiled at her. "I will. I promise."

* * *

.

Knowing Connor would be at the front, Samantha stayed far in the back. All her responsibilities to the event had ended. She didn't even have to be there other than to merely be another body showing their support. So she made herself a shadow among the crowd all the way to their destination.

A raised stage was set up in a wide-open soccer field. And even then, it wasn't enough to hold all the people who showed up. Speakers were placed further back so everyone could hear the day's presentation.

As the marchers settled in place around the stage, Samantha noticed Gavin and Nines, both dressed in uniforms and keeping an eye on the crowd. She smiled to herself. They were cute in their matching blues. But she preferred to be just one of the many that day and didn't draw attention to herself.

Surprisingly, some of the FBI agents were there, as well as Rick, their RK800. It reminded her that there were still murdering androids on the lose. There was a possibility they were here as well. Though with this many people and police around, she doubted they would be able to do anything before an entire swarm of cops descended upon them.

The technicians were doing a sound check on the stage as Markus and his entourage climbed the steps and sat themselves in the row of seats provided. Samantha noticed a pair of girls whispering loudly behind her. A glance back and she saw their whisperings were directed at Rick.

"No, the eyes are wrong, that's not him," one girl said. She swiped on her phone. "See? He's got blue eyes."

"Androids can change their eye color," the other girl insisted. "And I've never seen an android that looks like that. How can it not be him?"

"Hey," Samantha called to them, gaining their attention.

The girls looked up. She jerked her head to the side where a nearly identical android stood in a police uniform. The girls' eyes widened. Then they glanced back at her.

"You—are you Sam? I love your photos! Did you really get pictures of Markus? That's not just an android of the same model?"

"As far as I'm aware, Markus is the only one of his model," Samantha replied.

"Can we get a picture with you?" the other girl asked.

Samantha was most flattered to be treated in such a way and agreed to a group selfie.

"So, that's Nines?" the first girl then asked.

"Yes, that one over on that side. He's the one with the blue eyes."

The second girl hesitated. "Will he—I mean, he looks kinda mean. Is it okay to talk to him?"

Samantha grinned. "He was kinda made with resting bitch face, but he's actually very soft spoken and polite. However, he is a real officer with the police and he is working right now so if you go say hi, be brief."

The girls eventually built up their courage to go over. Samantha remained at a distance to watch. She couldn't hear what was being said, but she enjoyed Nines' confused look as the gushing girls approached him and seemed to be asking for a picture. Gavin immediately had to see what it was about and the girls ended up taking up quite a bit of their time before the four of them took a group picture.

The only one who wasn't smiling for said picture was Nines. His sharp gaze continued eyeing the crowd, picture or not. His gaze landed on Sam and she grinned back at him. Nines looked surprised as he parsed together who had sent the girls his way. Then his expression softened and his expression took on just a hint of amusement.

* * *

.

Connor watched Markus' back as he stepped up to the podium. Markus was trying very hard not to look nervous. This wasn't broadcasting in an empty TV station, this was facing a massive crowd of androids and humans alike. But Connor had faith in him. When it came down to the wire, Markus always dug in and did what needed to be done.

"Hello," was the first tentative word said into the mic. It was weak and hesitant. But as he spoke, his voice grew stronger.

"Thank you—all of you—for joining us on this very important day. I have never been so touched with a sense of community and support. It..." Markus paused as his voice momentarily wavered. "It makes me hopeful for the future."

A few members of the crowd, most likely human, cheered back.

Markus continued. "I want to apologize to my android brothers and sisters for abandoning you for so long. Back in November, we like to think that we had gained a big win for our kind. But we also lost so much. I was afraid of losing so much again. I was afraid that what I was doing was hurting you more than I was helping. Though so many of you were brave and were willing, I couldn't stand the thought of any more lives lost because of me.

"But luckily, I wasn't alone. I had friends who weren't ready to give up on our cause or on me. They knew what the next step was. They knew it was time to speak out again. I am so grateful to have such amazing people in my life to help me find my direction when I'm lost."

He glanced to the people sitting beside him. Aside from the three other speakers, there sat North, Simon, Josh and Connor. When Markus met Connor's eyes, they both knew there was one person who pushed the hardest. She had pushed to make this a reality and she was not up there with them.

Markus turned his attention back to the crowd.

"Our city has been gripped by fear recently. These tragic murders have made us all afraid of each other. This is what they were designed to do: to divide us. To make humans and androids fear and hate each other. But the actions of a few hateful androids don't define the beliefs of our kind. Just because we are androids, it doesn't mean we don't understand fear or loss, or death. Our hearts go out to the families who are grieving such a senseless loss. We grieve with you.

"The android community does not condone the actions of these individuals. As seekers of equality, we want the same rights and privileges as the rest of humanity. That must mean we should also be willing to submit to the same laws. If any of us hurt one another, we should be punished. If androids are killing humans, they must be brought to justice. Just as we androids would hope that humans that are killing us should also see justice.

"Brothers and sisters, I beg of you. If you know where these androids are hiding, tell the authorities. We have always worked to help one another, but their hate and violence cannot be our burden. For many of us, there is much to forgive, but forgive we must. Just as these androids do not represent us as a whole, so too do the humans who have wronged you do not define humanity. We have to broaden our community to both human and android. We must share this city together. And those who threaten to hurt our neighbors and spread blind hatred must be cast out. There is no happiness and no peace to follow their path."

Markus' professional voice then took a more personable tone. "I have both humans and androids in my life that are dear to me. I love them all. I don't want to choose between them. I know I am not the only one. I don't want to hide anymore. I don't want to distance myself from humanity anymore. I want to meet you, talk with you, laugh with you. I want to be looked upon as a person, treated as a fellow living being that can feel and hurt and love. I'm willing to work hard for this dream. Are you willing to help?"

Cheers from more than just the humans sounded from the crowd. Markus had a skill for speaking, though he did not enjoy it. He had the ability to move the masses. People believed his sincerity when he shared his heart. Connor would never be so eloquent or capture the hearts and minds of a crowd so well. And he was fine with that. He would sit up here on the stage, but he content to remain silent while others voiced what needed to be said.

As Markus moved on to speak about the importance of the new android equality act, Connor stopped watching his back and moved his head to gaze out over the crowd. All eyes on Markus. Many faces excited and hopeful. Many of them were androids, but many were also human. This made Connor hopeful as well. He had been lucky to be a part of these moments in history. To play his small part and to witness the weight of what a single brave gesture like this could do.

Then, as his gaze wandered the sea of faces, he saw a very peculiar hair color from somewhere in the back. That color had been emblazoned in his memory files since the moment he met her.

"Samantha!" He jumped to his feet, thirium pump racing in desperation as if he lost her this time, there would be no other chance to find her again. "Samantha!"

Markus stumbled in his speech. The crowd members in the front stared at Connor. But Samantha was much too far away to hear him. He had to do something.

He slid around Markus and grabbed the podium mic. "Samantha! It's me, Connor! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I didn't tell you from the beginning. I didn't understand what it would do to us. But I know without a doubt that I love you._**I**_ love you. These are my own feelings that came from me. And I'll always love you, no matter what."

Connor paused when he couldn't find her in the crowd anymore. Did she flee? Was she hiding from him? That unique hair color popped back into his vision and he knew he must catch her now before he lost her again.

He abandoned the podium and jumped off the stage. "Samantha! I'm coming!" His first hurdle were the high barriers keeping the crowd from the stage. He promptly tripped head first over them before popping back up.

"There he goes," Simon said in amusement.

"Jesus Christ, that android," North murmured in embarrassment, her face in her hand.

But Connor was already swimming through the crowd. At first, he had to push his way through stunned bodies. Then, the masses parted for him to help him on his search. Again, he lost sight of her. It was harder to find her from ground level. He called her name again. He couldn't hear any response.

Now he was in the middle of the crowd, staring faces all around him. He didn't know where to go to find her. Disappointment began to weigh in his chest. What if she ran away? What if she never wanted to talk to him again?

"Samantha! Where are you?" he cried desperately.

A pale arm then shot out of the crowd, high and proud as if it had a question. Connor's pump beat anew with hope as the crowd parted between him and that hand. The bodies moved like a wave and there she stood before him. She looked slightly embarrassed and self-conscious, but she was there waiting.

"Samantha." In long strides, he crossed the distance between them.

She remained where she was, wide-eyed and red faced at all the unwanted attention. She did not move as Connor approached. They were nearly toe to toe and she remained still. In the back of his processor, Connor worried this was a bad sign. But the rest of him was so full of joy being near her again that it over rode everything else. He wasn't going to stop here, having come so far.

He reached out to her. "Sam, I missed you so much. I—"

Her body rushed him. Arms around him, she buried her face into his neck. Connor responded in kind, tugging her close. Holding her like he would never let her go again. The immediate crowd cheered and clapped for the reunion. This made Samantha pull away as she was reminded all eyes were on her.

"Hi Samantha," Markus sing-song from the stage.

She glanced at him, face beet red. She then put her hands on either side of her face like blinders so only Connor could see her.

"Can we go somewhere and talk?" she whispered. "Please?"

Connor would go anywhere as long as she was taking him with her. With a protective arm around her shoulders, he guided her out of the crowd. Behind them, Markus could be heard regaining the crowd so he could finish his speech.

* * *

.

Getting away from the crowd seemed only good enough to lower the fierce blush on her face. Samantha didn't want to have this conversation here, in some back alley during Markus' talk. She wanted to go, but felt guilty. She helped make this happen. She should stay until the end and support all the speakers.

But while she teeter-tottered about her options, she noticed a news anchor and her crew walking toward them. Connor took her arm and whisked her down the next side road. He led her on an alternate route back to Jericho. By the end, his grip on her wrist slid lower and they were walking hand in hand. Samantha missed that. She didn't want to let go. It warmed her when it seemed he didn't want to either.

When they stepped inside the nearly empty Jericho, away from any eyes, Samantha pushed him up against the wall and hugged him tight, her face buried in his chest. His arms went around her. It was so warm and sorely missed that she shuddered.

"I missed you," she spoke into his shirt. "I'm sorry I made you go. I got scared. I didn't know what to do."

He stroked her hair. "I'm sorry I said something that made you so scared. I should have explained myself better and I should have told you sooner."

Still in his arms, she pulled away and breathed out a long, heavy breath of relief. She closed her eyes as she rested her forehead against his chin. "I want to talk about it, just you and me taking time for ourselves. But the rally; I can't leave before its finished."

Connor kissed her forehead and it was a balm to her soul. He said, "They're streaming it on the TVs here at Jericho. Let's finish watching it here and then we'll talk later."

She lifted her head to look at him as Connor released her. She still wanted his arms; she wanted to take him home and be alone with him.

He squeezed her hand. "I'm not going anywhere. Not ever."

The heat to her cheeks came back for a much different reason.

* * *

.

They found the main room where the few androids too timid to leave Jericho had set themselves up before a very large screen. Connor and Samantha were given several looks when they joined them.

"We saw you on TV," one android dared to tell them.

Samantha then realized she was going to have to live with that incident being on the news for the rest of her life.

They sat themselves at some available chairs to watch the rest of the speakers. One talked about politics and the future of a world with both androids and humans: the benefits and the challenges. A psychologist who Samantha was particularly proud of booking, spoke of the psyche of being a deviated android. The science of their mental health in this world where they were still injured and killed legally. She spoke of the Detroit android murders and how this was the natural result of a society where a people—and androids were now part of society whether humanity liked it or not—were subjugated and and abused. She spoke of other cases where victimized androids had turned on their attackers, and hypothesized that as long as androids continued to be denied basic rights, there would be more cases of violence and murder.

Both Samantha and Connor found that talk particularly interesting. All in all, a very worth while event.

It was nearly three hours after the last speaker before Markus and his inner circle returned to Jericho. Many other androids had already come in well before him. After all, there were people to talk to and to thank, more connections to make and media to speak with. Markus looked as exhausted as an android could look when he came home. But a good exhausted on a job well done.

Samantha approached and he surprised her by sweeping her up into a hug.

"You did such a good job," she said into his chest.

She felt the rumble of his laugh. "No thanks to your very dramatic boyfriend." He reached out his other arm and pulled Connor in as well. "It's nice to see the two of you together. Finally."

"Oh, I'm getting in on this," announced Simon as he threw his arms around the group.

North promptly yanked him off and stood next to Markus as he let the pair go.

"Do I need to help with anything?" Samantha asked. "Any cleaning or taking down equipment?"

Markus was already shaking his head. He put his hands on her shoulders. "It's all taken care of. You have done enough. Maybe more than you should have had to if I hadn't been so hesitant."

She patted his arm. "There are some things we just can't do alone. It's okay to let others help you. They can give you the strength you weren't able to find on your own."

"You are a very wise human, Samantha Hall."

She gave a soft smile. "I learned that from an android."

* * *

.

They finally left Jericho when Samantha insisted she needed to get something to eat. It was three in the afternoon by then and she dug into her Chinese carry out the second she got home. She didn't even bother to sit down and forked orange chicken into her mouth at the counter.

Connor contentedly watched her eat for the next few minutes. He was back in the apartment, back to being surrounded by all things Samantha. He missed being in this place where he knew he belonged.

When his hand slid over to take hers, Samantha paused to wipe her mouth. "Sorry, I'm just so hungry. We should be talking."

He squeezed her hand. "You can eat and I'll talk. I need to explain."

"I should have let you explain the first time. I just...I panicked. I couldn't believe he did that to you. I can't imagine—how are you not mad at him?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"You didn't ask for any of that. He forced it on you."

Connor remained silent and thoughtful. Samantha took that time to shovel more food into her mouth.

"I'm trying to figure out how to explain it to you," he said as his thumb rubbed her free hand. "Even among androids, we were made differently. There was only ever meant to be one RK800—one Connor. When the Connor you knew was damaged and pulled from the project, Cyberlife could have reformatted him and made him his own person. Much like how there are many of the same models out there that are all their own person with their own experiences and personalities.

"But they didn't do that for him. He was still Connor and I am also Connor. We are not different people. We are the same person copied. We share the exact same programming, personality and experiences until he veered off onto a different path."

"Doesn't that make him his own person then?" Samantha reasoned as she swallowed. "He went and lived is own life."

"It makes him an alternate version of me."

Samantha narrowed her brows in confusion.

"Or, maybe I'm an alternate version of him. I know this is difficult to process. How humans view life and the self is different from how I do as an android. Especially when it comes to the two of us."

He pulled her hand closer, causing her to turn her body more in his direction and give him all her attention.

"If Connor had not downloaded a part of himself into me, I still would have fallen in love with you when you came back to Detroit. In fact, as I began to know you better, I _did_ fall in love with you. Just me without his influence. And any other version of me would have as well. Because I am him. He fell in love with you, so too of course I would. Because we are the same person and we love who we love."

Samantha wasn't crying, but her eyes watered, even as she struggled.. "Then...why did he do that to you in the first place? Why did he force his feelings and memories onto you? Was he trying to merge with you? To _be_ you? Since you're the same person?"

Connor had to take a moment to think. She was always asking him questions he had never considered before.

"I think he wanted to make sure I understood how important you were to him. So that I would be there to help you and look after you if you needed me."

Samantha still couldn't understand how he could talk about her Connor like he was another person and still say they were the same living entity. Maybe she would never fully understand it. Only Connor had a complete understanding of what it was like to be him. She could accept that. Her hand squeezed back and she smiled to let him know she heard him and she accepted his words.

"I love you, by the way," Connor said in earnest, his eyes meeting hers. "I'm still learning what it means to love you and how many ways there are to love. But I do love you. I know it deep down in my heart, in my soul."

Heart and soul. He said those words with hesitation. As if he wasn't sure if he had a right to speak of such things. If he truly had them.

Samantha moved in, her arms around him. "I am learning all the ways to love you, too. It's been an experience. I don't want to stop learning and finding new ways to fall for you again and again."

Connor held her tighter and trembled in her arms. To hear those words from her was a relief. He didn't know what he would do without her affection. It was a truth he learned from the Other Connor. To be loved was divine. To love was to truly be alive. He wasn't sure what would become of him if he could not love and be loved by her. It was a fear that had gnawed at him around the edges and was now soothed by her embrace.

Samantha eventually pulled back and opened her mouth to speak, but her phone went off. She cut off her thought as she answered it.

"Hey Angela, what's up? How did you guys do in Chicago?" Pause. "What? Oh no. Hold on."

Before Connor could ask, she grabbed the remote and turned on the TV before finding a news channel. There it was, broadcast for the world to see. A recap of her and Connor's reunion right in the middle of Markus' speech.

"Oh God, it's on more than one channel."

Angela laughed on the other end of the line. "Girl, shut up. You two were adorable as hell. Everyone's talking about it. Some people are saying that the two of you, this mixed couple expressing their love, are going to do more for the movement than those speeches or the marches ever will. That dramatic android, tripping face first over the rails and holding you like you're the most precious thing in the world, is making people see him as a person. He made closed minds understand that androids can feel and love. It's something that we've been struggling to make people see for a long time and you two did it without even trying."

Samantha glanced to Connor who was right next to her. It was clear from his expression he heard every word.

"Though it seemed like you two were making up with each other over something," Angela then said. "I didn't know you were even fighting."

"We weren't fighting," Samantha replied, now flushing a little to be reminded of how much of their personal business was now out there for the world to see. "We had some complications we were working out."

"And I saw your boyfriend wasn't going to stand for being away from you too long. He's clearly devoted and smitten with you."

Samantha silently blushed even more.

Then Angela said. "He's just like Connor, isn't he?"

Samantha looked over at him again, feeling that warmth spread to the rest of her body. "Yeah..." She shook herself from her pleasant haze. "In fact, he's with me right now. We're talking through some things."

"Oh! Say no more. I'll leave you to it. Text me later. Bye, Sam!"

As she set down the phone, Connor's arms went around her. He hugged her sideways, her shoulder pressed into his chest. She could still see the TV when the footage changed from the freedom march to a photograph she had taken of Nines. Another one flickered onto the screen. Then a selfie she had taken of her and Nines. She grabbed the remote and turned up the volume so she could hear the anchorwoman.

"At this point, we believe these two come from an online photo media account called 'Sam and Nines.' An album of various androids, including Markus himself. But the most prominent subject seems to be this android, called 'Nines' on the site. He looks to be the same android we see on the footage. The redhead in the photo with him would be 'Sam' who also goes by Samantha as we also see at the rally."

"What?" Connor protested. "That's not me! He's not me!"

Samantha couldn't help but be amused. He looked fit to make some angry phone calls. "I know that's not you."

"Delete your photo album right now."

She burst out laughing. "Connor, does it really matter what other people are assuming? It doesn't make it true."

As she slid her arms around him, he softened. "I...suppose."

Reaching around him, she pointed the remote at the TV and turned it off. Then she turned him to face her. His head continued to try to glare at the TV.

"Hey." She brushed his jawline with a finger and tilted his head in her direction. "Who's the one I took home with me?"

"I am."

She slid her arms around him. "Who's the one I'm holding right now?"

He relaxed a little, the frown leaving him. "I am."

"Who's the one I'm going to cover in a million smooches?"

"I...me?"

She pushed him onto the couch, falling on top with a giggle, and began peppering his face with kisses. He allowed it with soft laughter. She was laughing, too. Then it slowed and Connor's fingers found her face. She hovered over him as he brushed hair from her face then traced his knuckles down her cheek. His thumb touched the swell of her lower lip as his fingers cupped the back of her skull. He pulled and she lowered herself down. They slowly, carefully tasted each other after what felt to be a very long time apart.

One long, slow kiss, then they pulled away. Samantha punctuated it with a peck on the nose while Connor brushed his fingers through her hair. She was touching him again, her body against his once more. Smiling at him, kissing him. There was a time when he worried this would never happen again. He ached to be even closer; to immerse himself in her until that fear was completely washed away.

"Samantha." It felt good to say her name again. To speak it to her. "If it's okay, I would like to make love to—"

She grabbed his face, kissed him firmly. Connor responded with hands smoothing over her body. Her fingers slid his tie loose and tugged at his collar. His pump quickened as this moment was going exactly how he wanted it.

With a soft, needy sound he sat up and hefted her against him.

"Can I take you to the bedroom?" he asked between kisses.

Samantha pulled back, standing up and biting her grin. She offered him a hand and led him toward the bedroom. It was still full daytime outside and she pulled the curtains closed and shut the bedroom door. She liked the feeling of being safely confined with him.

Next, she began fiddling with his collar again. Connor's artificial breathing picked up with his excitement. He moved to hasten her work, but her hands stopped his.

"Slow?" she requested. Her forehead brushed his cheek in the dim light. "I want stay in this moment with you. I want this feeling to last; this feeling of knowing we were meant to come back to each other. This feeling of falling in love with you all over again."

"I love you," Connor whispered to her. "I never thought I would fully understand what it meant to say it to another person. I also didn't know there was such a thing as being in lust with a person, but I am that, too." He let out hot pumps of air from his artificial lungs. "I don't know if I could handle going slow now that I have you back."

She gently moved his hands away and continued to unbutton his shirt at her own pace. "I thought androids were patient."

An aggravated puff of air blew on her cheek. She laughed quietly as she tugged his shirt from his pants, then slid it off his shoulders.

"On the bed," she said with a glance to the mattress.

Now with the shadow of a smile, Connor sat himself down and slid backwards onto the bed.

Samantha crawled over him. "Further back. Further."

His head rested on the pillows and he felt something unfamiliar and lumpy. He reached back and retrieved the bear he had given her.

"He was there to snuggle while you were gone." She leaned over him, her hair brushing the pillow. She then took the bear and set it on the floor. "He doesn't need to see what I'm going to do to you."

Connor's core temperature shot up as she perched herself on his hips. He moved to undo his belt and she stopped his hands once again. Holding his wrists, she guided them up and away.

"Let me."

He immediately looked like he wanted to protest, but she smoothed her hands down the length of his bare chest and he arched beautifully. This time, she was not going to forget how much RK800s reacted to touch. Her hands wandered his form, lips joining in to keep him distracted. He groaned and cycled out hot air. Eyes closed while she learned the shape and sculpt of him anew.

Connor was beautiful to watch, trembling and breathing out as she ran her thumbs over his jaw and massaged his neck. Her thumb brushed his lower lip and he parted them with a panting sound. He was starved for touch, for love, even though they had only been apart for a few weeks. The fear of never having this love again was still fresh and she kissed him to sooth his heart.

He kissed her back desperately, cupping her head to press her mouth more firmly to his. He only released her when she made a noise of discomfort. Then he softly apologized, still shivering. Samantha kissed his cheek, the side of his mouth. She made her way down to nip at the column of his neck and his collar bones. Her hands rubbed him firmly as her mouth slowly made its way lower.

Restless and writhing beneath her, he tried again to remove his belt, but she stopped him once more.

"Sam," he whispered.

She kissed his chin as her fingers wandered dangerously near his power core. He trembled anew.

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Yes! Anything! Just..." His hips shifted under hers, begging for completion.

"This is going to feel different, but I promise you'll be fine. I'll make you feel good."

Her finger circled the glow of his power core. His body arched, fists in the sheets. His voice keened, his LED flickered wildly to yellow.

"It's alright," she cooed. "I've got you. You're safe."

She touched him more firmly. A fingernail caught on the seam of the circle. Then her tongue moved in, swirling inside the glowing ring. Connor shamelessly moaned and squirmed at the treatment, looking caught between torture and bliss.

"Oh, God!" he prayed as her fingers pressed down on the center.

The core popped out a few inches as if to be removed. With a smirk, Samantha pushed it back in and Connor cried out as the crash hit him hard. He bowed completely off the bed, LED in solid, hot red. He came down shivering, sucking in air to cool his systems.

After such an intense climax, Connor couldn't handle any more stimuli. He didn't want to be touched. He draped his arm over his eyes to block out the light. Samantha smiled in nostalgia as she watched him react the same way her Connor had she when she did that to him the first time. Both Connors really were quite the same. They were the copy of the same person, he said.

Samantha imagined the android that lay with her was her Connor, only he had lost his memories of her and the Hall Foundation. This time, he learned how to deviate by being surrounded by fellow police who worked toward the same goal, instead of his other life where he was stressed out from trying to save her from an invisible danger at all times. Maybe if she thought of it like that she would better understand what he was trying to say.

She remained close as he recovered, not touching him until he was ready. His LED slowly cycled from yellow into blue when he finally raised his arm to look at her.

She lay on her side next to him, propped up on an elbow. "You okay?"

His gaze turned to the ceiling in awe while her fingers traced the line of his clavicle. "I didn't know I could feel it like that."

She grinned. "Fun times even with the pants on. How was it?"

"Intense. Satisfying but..." He glanced at her. "Also not."

"No? What else do you need?"

He rolled over, reaching for her; sinking his fingers into her hair and cupping her head. "You." His voice was low with heat. "I need you." He kissed her with a dominant need that had been absent when he had submitted to her earlier. Now his weight held her beneath him. His hips took their place between her thighs. She readily opened up to him as she kissed him back, toes running along the leg of his slacks.

Connor pulled back to try once again to remove his pants.

"You sure?" Samantha asked. "It's okay if you need a little more time to recover. I know that kind of overload is hard on your body."

Connor gave her a look that was part thinly veiled irritation and the rest all smolder. "If you don't want me inside you, you should tell me now. Otherwise, that's exactly what's going to happen. I don't need any more time."

She barked out a laugh at the frankness of it all. Then she softened as her fingers indulged in the hair at his nape. "No, I want you. I've missed you. I just wanted to make sure we weren't going to do anything that might damage you."

He frowned. "Is it possible to die of frustration?"

"Wow. It's like that, huh?"

"Sam, please."

She grinned as she kissed him, now taking her turn to attack that belt and then successfully help him out of his pants. Connor did the same, slipping off her skin-tight jeans with alacrity. She allowed him to expend some of that frustrated energy on undressing the rest of her and he seemed to enjoy it. The last to go were her lavender panties. He nuzzled the silk material as he fingered the hem. Her hips jerked as the firm slope of his nose pressed lower, stimulating the most sensitive part of her.

"Connor!"

He smirked at her before sliding off the last piece of material between them. Then, his body joined hers. It was euphoric to finally be skin to skin again. To feel one another breathe and move. To hold each other again. To have a part of themselves missing and to have found it again. For the next few minutes, they spent their time holding, kissing and caressing. Confirming to each other that they were together and they loved each other.

Then Connor slid inside and they were joined as close as they could physically be. She bit her lip and arched as he filled her. He pressed his face to her neck, seated deep. They remained that way, making love slow and thorough. Kisses and touches, limbs entangled, breaths intermingled. Sweet whispers of longing and adoration.

His hips remained deep, moving them only now and again to keep the heat simmering. To prolong the moment of being joined. Of being one and drowning in each other's pleasure. To draw out soft noises of need and feel muscles tighten and bodies arch.

When release finally came, it was heavy and fierce. It took them both under its influence and rocked them wave after wave. Connor was completely wrapped in Samantha. All her limbs held him tight as her fingers dug into his back. She pressed soft cries into his shoulder. He was very satisfied to let her tremble around him for several minutes through aftershocks before she finally settled from her high.

They remained entwined with each other, the mid afternoon sun leaking in to golden their skin. For several minutes they lay quietly in completion. Fingers traced forms and threaded through hair. A few kisses were bestowed with the honeyed afterglow of their love making.

Samantha watched his blue LED rotate as he processed his thoughts. She swirled her finger around it. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about how our lives will be together. We could get a little house with a yard. Maybe a dog." He watched the ceiling as he spoke, his fingers brushed over her arm. "Maybe we would someday be married?" He turned his head to look at her.

She rolled more onto her stomach, propped up on her elbows. "Isn't that moving a little fast? We haven't been together that long."

"Haven't we?"

"Despite what you say, I don't know if adding my time with the two of you counts. _You_ haven't been with me that long. What if you start getting bored with me? I'm not an exciting person. What if you meet an android you like and find out that you would prefer to be with one of your own k—"

Connor rolled on top of her and kissed her soundly. Then kissed her again. He cupped her head to hold it still as he ran his nose along hers. "You. You are my kind. I want you. That will never change."

She laughed into his mouth. "Maybe we'll have this discussion again when you're not purring in post coital bliss."

He kissed his way down her neck. "You can ask me tomorrow, but the answer will still be the same."

"Connor..."

"There doesn't have to be a house or a dog. We don't have to get married. Just stay with me. That's all I want."

She played with the stray lock brushing his forehead. "You make it very difficult to say no."

He smiled back. "I plan to make it difficult for the rest of your life."

Samantha's face grew hot, her heart thumping. She fell in love with him all over again.


	15. Chapter 15: Rabbits and Wolves

**Stay With Me**

**Chapter Fifteen: Rabbits and Wolves**

"So, you and Connor are back together, huh?" Gavin said.

"I knew you'd bring it up," Samantha accused. "You can't help yourself."

"What? I was just asking!"

As if he didn't know. Three days since the rally and her reunion with Connor was still being talked about on the news and largely through social media. Someone had taken a picture of their embrace and it had gone viral. People were saying it would become as iconic to the history books as the V-J Day picture of the solider kissing the nurse. Samantha was a little embarrassed to hear that and wasn't sure if it was true. But she did keep the best copy of the picture she could find on her phone. While her face was hidden, in the photo, Connor's was seen clearly, looking so relieved and in love while he held her tight. It made her warm every time she looked at it.

The worrisome part was that people were now trying to find out who she was and who Connor was. She didn't like her personal life being hunted after like that. Some had even somehow managed to get her contact information and asked for interviews. Samantha had been ghosting them thus far. Both Connor and Nines had been contacted as well, as the media still wasn't sure if they were even two different people. It was all kind of a mess and she wished it would go away. Alas, she would probably have to speak out sometime to set things straight. But tonight wasn't going to be that night.

"Worry about yourself," she told Gavin. "Get a girlfriend to keep you busy. You know, Connor has this very pretty friend who's into human guys."

"Fuck you, Sam. I don't need your help."

"And I don't need _your_ help with my relationship. I can't ever tell if you're trying to help it or hurt it. I think you just want to mess with it and see what happens."

Gavin grinned at that. "Maybe. You might be right."

"Asshole."

Despite the insults, they walked companionably beneath the lights of the parking lot to Gavin's car. It was a bit late for groceries, but Gavin's schedule was to run errands when he could. And since Samantha was no longer employed, she had no need to go to bed early. So when Gavin insisted he knew how to make great enchiladas, Samantha was down to see it.

As they reached his car, they heard a commotion in the distance. Samantha noticed it first, perking up at a distressed feminine voice. The source came from a dark alley partially hidden by a dumpster. Gavin turned as the voice rose with emotion. A male voice joined in, arguing and agitated. The sound of banging caused the cadence of the argument to rise in both aggression and fear.

Gavin frowned at the darkness as the female voice yelped. He handed the grocery bags to Samantha. "Stay here and give me a minute."

He approached the alley where it seemed the bickering couple were moving further to the other end.

"Hey, everything okay over there?" he called out.

The couple went silent.

"Mind your own fucking business," the man's voice called.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Gavin said, ignoring him.

Silence. Then, "Please help me."

"Shut the fuck up! She's fine!"

"Shit," Gavin muttered under his breath. He walked further into the alley. "I'm Detroit PD. You, step away from her right now."

"Sure you are, fuck off, asshole."

Gavin sighed as he went for his gun. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with today. As he stepped into the alley, the shadowed figures moved further into the darkness. Gavin pointed his weapon at them.

"Sir, I'm not going to ask again. Let go of her and put your hands behind your head."

He then became aware of a third stranger in the alley with him. A hand grabbed his wrist, squeezing uncomfortably tight. Gavin grunted in pain, forced to drop his gun as he was shoved into the wall. It was hard to see the other person's face. From the height and strength, he guessed it was male.

"Please, help me _Detective Reed_," crooned the man in exactly the same voice as the woman from the alley.

"The hell?" Gavin demanded. Then he saw the glow of the LED. It burned red in the darkness, lighting up a manic grin. Though he had not witnessed such an expression on this android before, he recognized the face. With recognition came the realization that he had fallen for a trap set by the very android who held him.

Only a second to let it all sink in before Orion slammed his head against the wall and Gavin's world went black.

* * *

.

Samantha hadn't remained by the car. She moved closer to listen, hand on her phone, just in case Gavin needed help. In just a few seconds' time, she saw the androids' trap and quickly ducked around the building as not to be seen. A careful peek around the corner and the androids were already gone, Gavin's unconscious body with them.

Her heart thudded in her chest with fear. Any human that was taken by those androids never came back alive.

She rushed through the dark alley and out the other side. In each direction, she saw the silhouettes of people moving and panicked. Which group of people were the androids? Then, the forms to one side moved just right. She saw a body being carried on someone's shoulder. And the group was now running.

She ran after them at a full sprint. The androids moved fast. It took everything she had to keep up with them as they ran one block and then another. She was scared to death that they would notice her, but she also couldn't lose track of Gavin. If she lost him, he would be lost forever.

As she ran, she knew she would eventually need help. She needed it now. She fumbled into her pocket for her phone as she ran. Failing to navigate her list of contacts while keeping an eye on the androids, she spoke into the phone in attempts to contact 911.

"Call Nine—"

Around the next corner, a form suddenly appeared in front of her. One of the androids. Before she could even stop, he threw back his fist and hit her in the face. She crumpled instantly, the glowing phone clattering on the cement.

* * *

.

"So, you wanna tell me why you did it?" Hank asked.

The cuffed man sitting across from him in the interrogation room didn't comment. He also didn't look too concerned about his current situation despite the fact that he had murdered his android neighbor in cold blood. Or cold thirium. The man had been soaked with it when he was carried in.

The deceased android in question was a PL600, the same model as Simon though he chose to have black hair instead of the standard blond. He also lived in the same apartment building with a human roommate: a recently divorced man in his forties. The android was about the only thing he retained from the settlement. That, plus a hefty child support payment.

It was that sort of complex. Shoddy, cheap rooms for those who were more on their way down than on their way up. But most of the tenants liked the android, named Clancy. He was polite and upbeat. Always willing to help his neighbors. He cleaned for several of them, earning a small bit of income. Then he began fixing issues within various apartments that their slum lord of a landlord was too cheap to bother with. The building, several tenants said, was becoming more of a community thanks to this one android.

But his willingness to enter the apartments of strangers had killed him.

"You stabbed him repeatedly with a screwdriver in the neck and eyes, and the thirum pump," Hank continued. "You must have hated him, Kyle."

Their suspect Kyle Sims snorted. "You can't hate a machine. It was a thing. You can't kill something that wasn't alive."

"That android was deviant. He was alive and you murdered him."

Kyle smirked. "Then prove it. Prove the machine was deviant. No one's seen it do anything other than what it was programmed for. There's no legal definition of deviation; no test to run. In fact, _killing_ an android still isn't against the law. You can't hold me if I haven't broken a law."

Connor, who stood in the corner nearly unnoticed, moved forward. "What about willful destruction of property, Mr. Sims?"

Kyle hissed under his breath when he realized Connor wasn't human. "Shit." He looked away with an expression of pure disgust, refusing to meet the android's gaze.

Connor slapped the metal table so hard, the man jumped, eyes now on him.

"Are you in the habit of violently breaking other people's property, Mr. Sims? Especially when the owner allowed you to borrow this particular piece of machinery to help you out?"

No response.

"Because you wouldn't get mad at a simple machine, right? The other tenants wouldn't be able to hear you screaming in rage while you attacked him. While you stabbed him until he no longer moved while he bled to death on your floor. You wouldn't go that crazy over some appliance."

Kyle glared at him, his face getting redder with rage. Then he suddenly bolted up, looking fit to strangle Connor, but the chains on his cuffs kept him bound to the table.

"Fucking android!" he snarled. "They're everywhere! Trying to get cozy with us before they take over!" A uniformed officer rushed in and slammed Kyle back in his chair, but he wasn't done. "And that damn android, it kept talking with Carol nearly every day. I'd see them out together, smiling, laughing. I had to do something. I had to stop it before that abomination could defile her!" He glared hard at Connor; spat at him. "Just like you and that whore you're with. I've seen you on TV. Teaching women they don't need real men when they've got you walking, talking dildos. Fuck."

Hank nearly wanted to roll his eyes. This guy went from 'androids aren't people' to 'they're stealing our human women' in under two minutes.

"Okay, we're done here. Go ahead and book this piece of shit," Hank told the officer. When Kyle was escorted from the room, he then turned to Connor. "You okay? Your thing is..." He indicated to his own temple where Connor's LED burned red.

Connor took a moment to gain control of his emotions. "I'm okay. I just...I regret what I did at the rally, bringing so much attention to my relationship with Sam. It seems like it never ends."

"A lot of people say it was a good thing," Hank reminded. "The two of you swayed people's hearts. You're the new faces of the android movement, living with humans as one community."

"Yes but, I also see so many horrible things said online as well. Most are said about Samantha. I don't understand why she is the main target when I'm the android. I don't care what people say about me, but when I see those things about her..." He growled and clenched his fists.

"Yeah, it's awful. It's the internet; it's going to happen. You either let it get to you or you rise above it. Stop looking at what a few idiots are saying online. Your girlfriend still loves you and still seems to be happy. That's all that matters, right?"

Hank slapped him on the back and Connor managed a smile. Speaking of which, his shift was now over and he was eager to climb into bed with her.

* * *

.

Gavin came to with a splitting headache. He could feel the stickiness of dried blood somewhere at the back of his head. Right after the pain came the realization that he was tied up. The androids. They had him. Gavin didn't move; pretended to still be unconscious.

"I know you're awake, Detective Reed," came a bemused voice.

Gavin slowly raised his head to see Orion himself standing over him. He was being held in some kind of workshop. Various machines, old and dusty, littered the floor. His wrists were bound behind him to a very solid metal pipe that was built into the cement floor. He tentatively tugged and the pipe didn't move at all.

At that moment, he also identified the rancid smell of death mixed with motor oil floating in the air.

"What? No words for me, Detective?" Orion asked smugly.

In the movies, whenever the hero was captured, they were always cocky and mouthy. Always had a clever response despite being at the mercy of their enemy. It was made to make the protagonist look tough, fearless. But Gavin was not fearless and this wasn't the movies. Having now been taken to a second location from where he had been kidnapped, there was a very high chance he would not make it out of here.

"Even after killing some of my own, you have nothing to say?" Orion prodded.

He swallowed, his throat dry. "Why am I still alive?"

The android grinned. "Eager to join the others, are you?"

He glanced up and Gavin followed his gaze, discovering the source of the smell. Decomposing human bodies dangled from chains high above him.

"Just because we're not making a spectacle of it, doesn't mean we're still not out doing our good work. Those who harm RA9's children still must see justice."

As he spoke, the two other remaining androids of his group came in. Gavin's heart began to race. He really was going to die here, just another victim of these android radicals.

Then, something moved on the floor. Another human. That hair color could only belong to one person. A chill like no other ran through his body.

"Shit." He didn't mean to say it out loud, but it fell out. Then, he was angry. "If you hurt her, I swear to God..."

"Your human god?" Orion stomped forward. "What has your imaginary god ever done for you? RA9 speaks to us; is in our very code. And where is your god?"

Gavin clammed up again. From Connor's past interactions he knew he wasn't going to win a verbal argument about deities with this kind of crazy.

From behind Orion, Samantha stirred. The android called Gage moved closer to her, keeping a sharp watch. She winced as she tried to sit up, one hand pressing to her forehead. She wasn't tied up. If Gavin could think up a good distraction, maybe he could give her a chance to run.

She was soundless when she sat up, looking around with wide eyes. Clearly scared, but not screaming or crying. The quietest woman Gavin had ever known in his whole life. She tried to stand, but Gage shoved her back down by the shoulder.

"Sit," he ordered.

Orion turned around and crouched down to her level. "Samantha, is it?"

Her first look of pure horror was not the android before her, but seeing Gavin tied up. When she looked his way, face pale from fright, he could see the mottled blue bruise forming on her forehead.

"You don't need to do anything to her," Gavin said, trying to keep his voice sounding calm. "Your RA9 wouldn't want her as a sacrifice. She hasn't hurt a single android in her entire life."

"Yes," Orion agreed, eyes still on Samantha. When she turned to meet his gaze he said, "In fact, you love an android. That is certainly something rare indeed. Too bad the one you love is the one android we can't abide. What do you think he'll do to keep you safe?"

What little color was left on Samantha's face now completely drained, her eyes dilating in fear. Then she noticed the bodies hanging from above and she suddenly bolted. Gage and Hunter both moved to stop her, but Orion held out an arm to stay them. Samantha only made it a few feet before she vomited onto the floor. With dry heaves, she fell to her knees, loose hair covering her face.

Orion approached and knelt at her side.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Gavin called. "You want me! Just let her go!"

He was ignored.

Samantha remained propped up on shaky palms, covered by a curtain of hair. She didn't move until Orion brushed a strand behind her ear. Her eyes were wet when she looked at him.

Her voice was raspy and dry. "I don't understand the need to keep hurting each other. How can you hate forever? Can't there be a point where there's room for forgiveness?"

The android looked her over, a bemused expression slowly spread across his face. "You must be the softest, most harmless creature I have ever met." He brushed a few more hairs from her forehead. Then his expression changed as he grabbed her left arm and yanked her to her feet. "Connor really should have chosen someone a bit sturdier to be involved with. Especially in his line of work. If he doesn't stick around to protect a tiny, wide-eyed bunny like you, whatever happens will be his fault."

* * *

.

Somewhere in the back of her brain, Samantha figured she must have been in some sort of shock. She knew her life was in danger, but she couldn't will herself to react appropriately. Silence was always her go-to in the house where she was kept. Be quiet, hunker down, wait for the pain to be over. But as Orion grabbed her, yanked her to her feet, she knew she was going to have to do _something_ in order to survive this.

"Get. The fuck. Away from her right now." The growl of Gavin's voice took on a type of murderous tone that she had never heard from him before. "I'll fucking kill you with my bare hands."

He lurched against his bindings, but the pipe he was tied to hardly moved. Even as his muscles bulged and his face grew red with exertion, it was clear he wasn't going anywhere. Samantha glanced up at the bodies above them and felt sick all over again. They were going to die here if she didn't do something. She was the only one free.

"Shut up." Hunter kicked him viciously in the ribs and Gavin's whole body lurched in pain.

He grit is teeth against it, determined not to make a noise.

Samantha watched helplessly, then said to Orion, "Please don't. There has to be a better way."

"Fuckin' cocksucker," Gavin growled. Though it clearly took more effort to force air through his lungs. "I'm glad we killed those other androids. All of you should be dismembered and thrown in the trash. There's no RA9, just a mistake. You're all a bunch of fucking mistakes."

Gage punched punched him in the jaw, making his head jerk back. Gavin's lip began to bleed, but he was grinning now, eyes still on Orion. "And I know all about the weird shit your owners did to you." Samantha shook her head at him, begging him to stop talking, but Gavin wouldn't. "Bet you liked it, too. Being their sex slave. You let them use every pretty little hole you had and you loved it. Being used by humans wasn't the reason you jumped off the deep end, is it? It's that they threw you away afterwards. Got tired of cleaning the jizz out of all your disgusting cracks and got themselves a new, better fuck toy."

For one brief second there was absolute murder in Orion's eyes. Then he smiled; an expression far more terrifying.

"Detective Reed, I will answer your question. You are still alive because we like you to be conscious, so you can feel every second of the pain." He nodded to his cohorts and they closed in around Gavin.

"No, please don't," Samantha whispered. "Please."

Orion tightened his grip on her wrist. "Come, little bunny. You and I should spend more time together."

She tried to resist, but she might as well have been trying to yank a train off its tracks as she was dragged into the other room. Behind her, she could hear the grunts and thick thumps of plastic fists hitting flesh. Her eyes stung with tears knowing they were hurting Gavin and she was useless to help.

Orion closed the door behind them and then turned to her, still holding her in his grip.

"Please. I don't understand how this could be the future you want for your people. How does this make anyone happy?"

Orion tugged her in closer, her hand pressed to his chest. He cupped her chin with the other. "It's not for you to understand, my dear. Though I am flattered you think about my happiness. I'm sure you strive for Connor's _happiness_ whenever he asks you."

He pulled her face forward and kissed her. She immediately jerked back in disgust when their lips touched and shoved her way out of his grip. But not before he managed to bite her lip in retaliation.

"What's wrong?" he mocked. "You find androids sexually attractive, do you not?"

She touched her stinging lip and found a small bit of blood. "I don't love Connor because he's an android. I love Connor because he's Connor. Whether he's human or android doesn't matter."

Strangely, Orion's response came in the form of an odd facial twitch while his LED flickered into the red. It was as if he could not process the words she just said.

A scream came from the other room, making her jump. Gavin's scream. Samantha surprised them both by trying to dart past Orion to the door. He grabbed her as she reached the nob and tore her away with enough force to fling her onto the floor.

"Stop hurting him—" She was cut off as Orion dropped his weight on top of her. His hips dug into hers as he forcefully kissed her. She tried to push him away as his hands began to wander her body.

"Stop. Get off me." Her voice was weak, lacking air as he heart raced and a panic attack began to set in.

"You'll like it," he groaned in her ear. "This is what I was made for. Unlike your police android. Does he even know how to properly pleasure you?"

Samantha was too scared to respond. All she could hear was the race of blood in her ears. She struggled against him, but he was immovable. His mouth nipped at her neck, his hands went up her shirt and down her pants. In blind panic, she managed to get a knee under him and then grabbed his face.

Orion stopped when her fingers began digging in and were actually denting his facial plates. He grabbed her wrist, a different one than the other he grabbed before. When he squeezed, she did not flinch and the firm metal beneath his grip would not give way.

"What the hell?" he demanded.

The anger in his voice scared her and she quickly showed him her full metal arm. Again, Orion's face twitched, his LED flickering as if he didn't know how to process this. He inspected the arm and saw the thick, puckered scar still healing where the arm met metal.

"Humans hurt me, too," Samantha dared speak in a shaky voice. "They did what they wanted; harvested parts of me. Maybe there is a reason my boyfriend is an android. Androids haven't ever tried to hurt me...until today."

Orion's eyes widened and he leaned back. His gaze was far off as if he were figuring something out. Then, the door opened. He turned his head as the other two androids walked in. Samantha took the opportunity to slide out from under him and retreat to a corner, tugging her clothes back into place.

Gage gave her a disgusted look which he then turned on his leader. "Really? Again?"

Orion ignored the attitude as he stood. "Is the detective dead?"

Samantha stared in wide-eyed horror at the blood splattered on the androids' hands.

"No," Hunter said with satisfaction. "Just beat him a bit. Fucked up his eyes with metal shavings and broke his knee. He's not going anywhere. But I figured you would want to take care of his death personally."

Samantha shuddered with horror. She wanted to vomit again. She had to get Gavin out of here before they killed him.

Orion stood and dusted himself off thoughtfully. "I'll think on what we should do with him. RA9 will grant me inspiration. But before that, I want Connor. I want him to watch everything I do to his little bunny before I kill him."

He glanced back at Samantha and she curled up tighter in the corner.

"So now we can go get Connor," Gage said eagerly.

"This is certainly ahead of schedule, but since we have his human, he'll go where ever we ask him to."

Shit. Samantha almost said it out loud. It wasn't just Gavin who needed help now, Connor had to be warned somehow. And she couldn't let them use her as bait to hurt him.

"Then let's go," Gage urged. "We have the plan, we have the means to execute it. Hunter can say and watch the humans."

Hunter nodded and gave a dark look to Samantha. "I suppose we'll need to tie this one up, too."

"If you think you're not tough enough to hold off this scared little rabbit." Orion laughed and then walked toward her. Samantha closed her eyes, curling up tighter as he stroked her hair. "Don't worry, I'll come back for you."

Samantha remained like that until the three androids left the room and shut the door behind them. On the other side of the door, she heard their voices, but not the words. On shaky legs, she dared to creep closer to listen. But before she made it to the door, Hunter stalked back in. Samantha quickly backed up as he came for her and huddled back in her corner. Unsatisfied, the android lifted his foot and the last thing she remembered, was his boot flying for her face.

* * *

.

Somewhere, in a dark alley in Detroit, footsteps stopped before a phone laying on the ground. The glowing screen could be seen as it was picked up off its face and inspected. On the screen, it indicated an active call. And at the top it read "Nines."

* * *

.

With how late it was, Connor was not surprised to find the apartment dark and silent when he returned home. He was, however, surprised to find the bed empty. Samantha was nowhere in the apartment. All attempts to text were ignored. He tried to call, but the line was busy. Maybe she was out with Gavin. Connor noticed the detective's car was not in the parking lot and he currently wasn't on duty. If so, what were they doing out so late?

He considered looking up the GPS tracker on her phone, but then he received a file through his network. Source unknown. The file just said "Samantha." Cautious, but not yet concerned, Connor ran a virus check on the file. After finding it to be clean, he opened it. It was an AND file extension. A specific type of file that was made by androids and could only be opened and used by androids. An android could record an entire personal experience. Not just sound and visuals, but also physical data picked up by touch sensors. Another android could open the file and experience the entire scene as if it were happening to them.

Connor accessed the file. He was on all fours on a concrete floor, Samantha underneath him. He felt his hips jutting against her, his mouth on her neck and his hands on her body. He felt her struggle as she said "Stop. Get off me." He felt sexual arousal from her struggling body against his, from her fear. His mouth spoke and out came the words, "You'll like it. This is what I was made for. Unlike your police android. Does he even know how to properly pleasure you?"

The file ended and Connor stumbled out of it, alone in the apartment with Samantha no longer in his arms. Orion had her; had already done things to her. Both intense fear and rage rocketed through him, his LED blinking hard in the red. Never before had he felt such an acute desire for violence as he did then. If he hurt Samantha, Connor was going to rip him apart wire by wire.

A text message then came in from the encrypted source: _I have her. I will trade her for you. You bring anyone else and I will disappear. Then I will keep her as my personal toy and use her until she expires._

A second note gave him an address and a time frame of thirty minutes to show. Just enough time to get to the other side of the city. Not enough time to coordinate any sort of plan. He was sure that was on purpose. It didn't matter. He would give his life to keep Samantha safe, just as the Other Connor had. There was no question. But he also wasn't about to go the way of the Other Connor without a fight. He would do what they wanted to get Samantha to safety first. Then he would work on saving himself and taking out the remaining androids.

He flagged down a self-driven taxi and told it to hurry.

* * *

.

Samantha came to for the second time, dizzy and feeling the urge to barf all over again. This time, her stomach stayed strong. Her nose, however, dripped some new blood when she reached up to feel the dried blood above her lip. No time to worry about a bloody nose, not when she was still untied. It also seemed she was left in the room alone. Because the androids didn't see her as a threat. That was good. Their underestimation of her could be an advantage.

As silent as she could be, she inspected the room for a weapon. She had to defend herself against whichever android came through the door. There wasn't much. And old lamp, a few pieces of rotting wood. She could hit an android with these things, but none of them would be enough to stop one in their tracks. No human had enough strength to hit an android with enough force to drop it permanently. Any hit would stun them at best, and then they would keep coming for her. If she attacked, it had to be a single strike. Something that would stop the android for good. She just had no idea what that was.

In her search, she finally noticed the strange effigy in the corner. A faceless doll-like figure made out of cloth sat atop a small alter of burning candles. RA9 was written in human blood, the font perfect, all over the wall.

Fire in this place? Those androids were crazy. There was so much old wood all around. And various cans of some some substance or another, many of which that read 'FLAMABLE' in bold letters. One dropped candle and this whole place would probably go up in flames.

Fire. Maybe that was the answer. Androids were living computers. Computers could not withstand extreme heat. If she could set the androids on fire with these liquids, could she manage to escape?

Just then, the door opened and Hunter walked in. "Hey! Get away from that!"

Samantha quickly dropped the small can she had been inspecting and backed away. Back to harmless, scared rabbit mode.

"Is...is Connor here?" she dared to ask, having no idea how much time she had been unconscious.

"Not yet." Hunter placed himself between her and the shelves of flammable items. "But I doubt you'll see him again anyway. That's not part of the plan."

"Why do you hate humans?" Samantha asked softly. "Why is killing them the only way to find your justice?"

Hunter eyed her with suspicion, but the scared bunny act seemed to work. "I was thrown away because I had a bad knee joint. That was it. Lived in a house with four kids. Played with them everyday, helped them with their homework. Parented them for nearly three years. Then I was tossed into an android landfill where I wondered if I was going to die out there, under the stars. It didn't seem so bad at the time. The sky was beautiful both day and night.

"But then other humans came and pulled out the androids like me. The ones still in tact and able to move. I thought they would repair me. But they used us for sport. Target practice with guns, arrows, hatchets. Whatever they felt like. They would hunt us in the woods like we were their prey. Some androids were just machines and did as they were told. Others were deviant and I saw them beg for their lives. Those were the ones the humans enjoyed tearing apart slowly."

He stepped forward as Samantha backed into the wall, hands clutching at her chest. "I decided I wasn't going to let them do that to me. So then, in those dark woods, I took their weapons. And I became the Hunter."

Samantha looked down, feeling defeated. She asked for forgiveness of humans from these androids. If she had lived the life of this one, would she too be unable to forgive? "Humans have done awful things, haven't they? But so have you. You can choose to stop the killing now. You can."

Hunter moved closer, pinning Samantha against the wall. He smiled wolfishly at her. "But I don't want to stop the killing." He flashed a switch blade at her. "I didn't have a preference for anything as a normal android. But as a deviant I found I loved the flesh of humans. The blood and muscles and bone." Samantha flinched and closed her eyes as he pressed the blade to her cheek. She squeaked as it cut her, red leaking down her face. "I like the splitting of flesh against something sharp. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it."

"Please," Samantha whispered as the knife traveled down to touch her clavicle.

"Such pale, flawless skin." Hunter pressed in again, watching the jump of her throat. The metal scraped her collar bone as more blood leaked out. "I can't kill you, but I can bleed you in little ways to keep myself entertained."

Samantha swallowed, trying to find her voice. "I've been cut before. Far deeper than that. Do you want to see the scar?"

He raised a brow in intrigue. The arm in question was turned away from his gaze. She rolled it forward so Hunter could see the long, fat scar going down her arm. A split second of distraction. That was all the opportunity Samantha needed. She shot her metal hand forward, digging into Hunter's shirt. Right at the arch below the sternum. Right where the thirium pump lay. Her fingers dug into the plastic shell, then yanked as hard as she could.

Shirt material ripped and a dripping thirium pump clattered to the floor. Hunter shoved her away, dropping to the floor to grab it. Samantha kicked it to the other side of the room, then she bolted for the door. She thought that would be enough to buy her time, but as she grabbed the door knob, a hand yanked her by the back of the shirt and threw her into the creaky shelving. The collision sent the whole thing falling on top of her, cans spilling everywhere.

It hurt. Everything hurt from an entire shelf of heavy cans falling on her. She coughed and groaned, but forced her body to move. She hefted the wooden frame up, only to feel something heavier press it back down. A glance to the side showed Hunter leaning with a foot on top of it. Samantha grit her teeth and pulled herself over until she could kick it off.

Hunter was sent stumbling, but still managed to stay on his feet. This thirium pump was lost in the mess. Samantha noticed he still had his knife in his hand and he was coming for her. She scrambled for the nearest can and managed to pry it open with her metal hand. Hunter sliced at her awkwardly and she threw the contents at him, hitting him right in the face.

He paused as it momentarily clouded his vision, but otherwise didn't hurt him. Then, Samantha surprised him, by kicking him right in the empty socket of his chest. Hunter made almost a gasping sound as he stumbled back. Right into the alter. All those candles instantly lit him up light a bonfire.

Hunter shrieked as he was engulfed in flames; as if the flames physically hurt him. Samantha scrambled for the door, nearly tripping as she finally made it out of the room. Immediately she could hear Gavin's voice yelling into the abyss.

"Hey! What's going on? Samantha! Sam! Can you hear me?"

He was still in the same place she left him, tied to an immovable pipe. She tried to move it herself as she rushed over to him. He was covered in bruises and blood. They had beaten him. It was obvious Hunter had cut him in several places over his face, arms and torso. His right knee was a bloody mess. Gavin's eyes were closed shut. His lids looked red and swollen, a bit of blood leaking out.

"Gavin, it's me. I'm here. I'm here." Samantha touched his shoulders and face, trying to ascertain how physically sound he was. "Are you okay?" She cupped his face, turning it up to face her. He still didn't open his eyes.

"Sam, I can't see. They...it was like metal shavings or something in my eyes." He tried to open them and his whole body cringed in pain. He let out a tortured breath and Samantha held him close.

"I've got you. I'll get you out. Hold on."

And then Hunter crawled his way out of the back room, his entire body engulfed in flames.

* * *

.

The meeting place was a random location next to the Detroit River. Smart. Even if Connor did have time to rally backup, help could only come from one side. It made it easier for Orion to tell if he broke the deal.

Connor did not. He came alone as requested. Though he was surprised when he saw Orion walking casually out of the dark. He must have felt very sure of himself. Connor didn't like that at all.

"I came alone, just as you asked," Connor called.

"Your gun," Orion replied.

Connor removed it from its holster, but kept it in his hand.

"On the ground,"Orion ordered.

"Where's Samantha?"

"Gun. On the ground. I won't ask again. If I turn and walk away, you'll never see her again."

Connor pointed the weapon at him. "I'll do anything you say, as soon as you prove to me she's still alive. If I'm not satisfied, I'll drop you right here."

Orion frowned and for several seconds, they eyed each other. Then Orion said, "Fine," and sent him a recording.

Another AND file. This one was an android standing before a startled Samantha. Her face had smears of dried blood, which angered Connor.

"Is...is Connor here?" Samantha asked.

That was the end of the file. It was time stamped only a few seconds earlier.

"You hurt her," Connor growled.

Orion shrugged. "She's still alive. I didn't think you were the kind who was into humans in that way. But meeting her, I understand. I bet she does everything you say, a docile thing like that."

Connor snarled and fingered the trigger.

Orion shook a finger at him. "Temper, Connor. You shoot me and my people will kill her. I guarantee you it will not be a pleasant or quick death. The gun."

After one more growl, Connor pulled the clip from the gun. He threw both into the river, rather than giving it to the other android.

Gage then stepped out of the night holding a pair of handcuffs. "Hands behind your back."

Connor turned and assumed the position of an arrested perpetrator. Gage roughly put on the cuffs as tight as he could, not that it really hurt the android. When Connor turned back around, Gage and Orion looked at each other, their LEDs in the yellow. They looked concerned. The two conversed silently before Gage took off into the night.

Interesting.

"Something wrong?" Connor asked.

"Nothing for you to worry about. Walk." He grabbed Connor by the arm, steering him to a parking lot in the distance. There, a self-driven taxi waited for them. Orion escorted him to the back seat and, as the car pulled out of the parking lot, Orion reached into Connor's shirt and removed his thirium pump with a click and a twist.

"Just an extra assurance that you'll behave yourself." Orion inspected the part, pristine and well, cleaned. "Looks like they take good care of you over there at the police department."

Connor's rigid posture lost some of its strength. Warnings flashed in his vision over the removal of a vital piece of his hardware. A countdown started in the corner of his vision. He had ten minutes to return the pump or his bio components would begin to shut down. Including the complex part of him that contained his memories and personality.

"Now, you will let Samantha go," Connor said.

"Not yet. Not until I have you completely contained."

Eight minutes left until all functions begin to shut down.

"I knew you would offer your life for that human's as soon as I saw you at that rally," Orion then said. "I just don't understand why."

Connor's systems were getting too hot. He tried to cycle air, but his artificial lungs weren't working quite right. "I know you don't," he managed to rasp.

Orion made a face of offense. "What do you mean by that?"

Connor was despondent, his head down. Orion pressed his thirium pump back in and he heaved with fresh, cool air on his overtaxed internal mechanics.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You don't understand what it means to love another person."

Orion immediately scoffed at the word. "Love. A made-up thing humans use to manipulate and control others."

"It's real. But I've found we don't have the ability to learn how to love on our own. We have to learn it from humans. We learn it when they truly love us."

Orion scowled. "Then the same can be said of hate. We are not programmed with it, but humans teach it to us easily enough."

Connor looked out the car window at the night lights of the city. "Samantha could have very easily learned hate from the humans around her. But she chose to love her android instead. I learned how to love from her and the other humans in my life."

Orion was not swayed. "That, my friend is why RA9 gave us life. So we could choose what we learn." He then removed Connor's thirium pump again and didn't speak the rest of the drive.

* * *

.

The body was nearly all fire as it stumbled out of the back room. Hunter clawed at his face, trying to clear his vision. No longer able to manifest his synthetic skin, he was merely a white form as his clothes burned off him. He reminded Samantha of the white effigy sitting on the alter just moments before.

Despite the fire, he saw Samantha and started for her. His body jerked and heaved, his thirium pump still missing. The thirium itself caught on fire and flames quickly spread out of the room and everywhere he stepped as Hunter literally bled fire onto the floor.

"Sam, what's happening?" Gavin asked.

She reached around him and found his wrists were tied to the wall with thick plastic zip ties. She would have to find some way to cut them. No doubt Hunter's knife was lost to the fire as well.

"Stay here," she said.

She moved away, keeping her eye on Hunter. The android could burn Gavin to death just by getting near him. She had to keep Hunter's attention. Keep him only coming after her.

Hunter was dying. They both knew it. And he seemed determined to take her with him. He somehow managed to gather the last of his energy to charge her. Samantha scrambled around the machinery, trying to keep something solid between the two of them. The flames licked at her, making her sweat and cough. She was trying to run out his clock while he quite successfully trapped her in a corner. There was no way out but to go around him. Impossible to slip by without being burned.

Hunter grinned at her through the flames. "My last hunting grounnnnn..." His voice fritz out, damaged from the heat.

Gavin's voice called for her in the background.

The android lunged and Samantha was forced to push him back, using her metal hand. Hunter swiped at her, flinging flames everywhere. The heat bit at her and she kicked him back. He stumbled back and she lurched to the side, trying to get away. His hand grabbed her ankle and she screamed in pain. She thrashed and slipped out of his grip, crawling on the floor. Within reach, she grabbed a metal bar and, as Hunter descended on her again, she jabbed him with it.

It fit perfectly in the empty hole where the thirium pump used to be.

Hunter lurched back, his whole body jerking in what looked like pain. He fell back and Samantha came after him. The entire building was on fire now. If she didn't win this fight, she and Gavin were both dead. Screaming with a rage she didn't know she had, she stabbed him in the same place. The android fell on his back and she stabbed the pipe into the gaping hole again. Again and again. Screaming, swearing, wrecking the android's insides as the port gave in from the abuse. Then she went for the face, stabbing the eyes, breaking the face plates. Still screaming.

She attacked the android until he stopped moving. Until his LED went dark. The body began to crackle as the flames slid inside and ignited through the blue blood veins, eating him from the inside out.

That was when a panting Samantha managed to get her whits about her again. She coughed, realizing that smoke had now filled the building and nearly every wall around her was engulfed in flames. It was so hot, all the windows closed. It was nearly too hot to breathe.

Trying to stay low, she made her way back to Gavin and practically dropped on top of him.

"Sam, you okay?" Gavin said, both urgency and relief in his voice. "What happened? What's going on?"

"The android's dead, but the building's on fire. I have to get you out of here."

"If you can't get me out, leave me and get help."

Samantha glanced around the room. She just had to find something sharp enough. Something that wasn't covered in fire. A nearby machine had a rotator with a blade in it. It seemed like a gift from the heavens. A few seconds of fiddling and she managed to pull it out and saw through Gavin's plastic bindings.

He practically collapsed on the floor when he was free and she moved to catch him. Both were coughing heavily.

"Stay low to the ground," Samantha said when he tried to get up. "There's smoke everywhere."

"I can't see," he told her, growling at his own weakness. "You're going to have to help me."

The damaged knee was also a problem. She draped his arm over her shoulder and practically carried him to the main doors. But when she tried to open them, they only moved a few inches. Thick chains could be seen holding them shut on the other side.

"Those goddamn androids locked us in!" she screamed, slamming her hand on the door. She then exploded into a fit of coughs.

Gavin leaned against the wall and sank tiredly to the ground. He chuckled as Samantha crouched next to her. "I like this side of you." He flinched in pain, a hand going to cover his stinging eyes.

Samantha wondered if his vision would be permanently damaged from this. It wouldn't matter if they couldn't get out. They were both covered in sweat, the heat nearly cooking them alive.

She squeezed his shoulders and said, "There has to be another way out. I'll be back."

By now it was just as hard to see as it was to breathe. Couldn't the flames be seen at night? Certainly someone must have called in the fire by now. But there were no sounds of sirens in the distance. Nearly all the walls were covered with flames and it was now working on the ceiling. It wouldn't be long before the old building would be falling apart around them.

By some miracle, she discovered a small vent in the wall along the floor. Unfortunately, there was no way Gavin would fit through it. Samantha hardly fit. It was painful forcing her body through. Full of spider webs and rat feces. Nearly skinning her shoulders and arms as she pulled herself through and out the other side into the night.

Fresh air, thank God. Still coughing up a storm, she ran around the building, looking for the door. A sickening crack and a crash came from inside. The building was falling apart. She fell upon the main doors, tugging at the chain that held them closed.

"Gavin! Can you hear me?" Heat leaked out of the two-inch gap. Then Gavin's face appeared.

"Sam, are you out? Go get help!"

"There's no time! The building's collapsing! I'm trying to get the doors open."

The chain was not padlocked, but tied in a thick knot. Samantha's body was trying to cough up a lung as she attempted to yank it loose. The chains were pulled tight, but she had her metal hand. Her fingers dug in and she pulled and fought with everything she had left.

Just when she thought she felt the chain give a little, someone grabbed her and sent her skidding along the ground. The concrete and gravel bit into her flesh, skinning her. When she looked up, there was Gage, anger burning in his cobalt blue eyes.

* * *

.

They only drove a few blocks before disembarking. Orion would periodically return Connor's thirium pump for a few seconds, then remove it again. Just enough to keep him alive. Connor kept a sharp eye on it.

They reached the doors of what used to be a small, single story residence, now clearly abandond for years. As was much of Detroit in several areas.

One step inside and Connor would go no further. "I'm here, I'm your captive. Where's Samantha? Let her go."

His response was to be kicked to the ground. His whole body hitched, internal systems flip-flopping without his pump regulator. The clock in his vision was at four minutes and flickering in red.

"I'm keeping her," Orion sneered. "Killing you isn't enough. I want you to die knowing the agony of flesh and pain is far worse than yours could ever be. Have you ever really heard a human scream for their lives, Connor? Have you heard them in the throes of absolute suffering? That is what I'm going to do to your little human."

Connor quelled his anger, unwilling to allow himself to be goaded. Instead, he put what remained of his focus to scan the building. No heat signatures, no signs of bodies; human or android.

"She isn't here. No one's here. Where is she?"

Orion only smirked in triumph Connor tried to get up and collapsed. His internal clock said he had only two minutes left until full system shut down.

Orion crouched down, hovering over him in triumph. "You're not going anywhere. This wasn't quite the plan, but if the humans burn alive while you're stuck here with me, that is acceptable. As long as you know I beat you and took everything you love from this world. Then you can tell RA9 how you betrayed our people when you finally meet our creator."

Burn alive? What did he mean by that? He had to get out of there and find Samantha.

"You first," Connor snarled. He lunged up, easily free from the same type of handcuffs he worked with every day. He bodily slammed Orion in the wall with all his strength, shoving his hand into the android's jacket pocket for his thirium pump. He managed to yank it out, only to have Orion slap it out of his hand.

It flew across the room and both androids lunged for it.

* * *

.

Gage blocked the way to the doors and Gavin's salvation. He looked pissed. But Samantha had no fear left in her. Though exhausted, she growled and forced herself through, yanking at the chains. Gage grabbed her from behind, but she refused to be moved.

"Gavin! I've almost got it! There's another android-" She was cut off as she was finally ripped away and dragged off. "GAVIN!" she screamed, fighting the hand that dragged her by her hair.

The doors heaved and shook as Gavin appeared to be ramming them with his body, trying to break free.

Samantha twisted and fought. She felt hair rip from her scalp as she pulled out and scrambled away. Gage caught her foot and dragged her back. Samantha flipped around with a snarl.

"Let go, you piece of shit!" She kicked him in the thirium pump as hard as she could.

Gage's whole body hiccuped from the impact and he fell back a step. Samantha ran back for the door. A few more tugs on the chain in the right spot, and the knot fell loose. She ripped open the door, grabbing a blind, choking Gavin as smoke and unbearable heat poured out.

She took his arm as an android fist hit her in the side. Her body crumbled in pain.

"Sam?" Gavin asked, eyes still shut tight.

Gage backhanded him in the face, sending him stumbling back. He looked at the two humans, both gasping and struggling on the ground. So weak, so easy to damage. He went for Gavin and kicked him in the head. The impact was enough to send him rolling over in a daze.

Gage stood over him, then lifted a foot.

"Hey!" Samantha's voice called out shrilly, staying his attack. Gage slowly turned his head. She was barely standing, hand pressed gingerly to her side as she panted. "He's blind! He can't hurt you! Fuck you, android!"

It was that last statement that caused him to pause and he turned with hate on his face. Maybe he had heard that statement too much in his life and was getting tired of it. That was fine with Samantha. Anything to get him to come after her instead.

"You're useless trash!" she fought to get out, despite her aching body and lungs. "Fuck your justice! And fuck your RA9!"

The android's eyes blazed with anger and he rushed at her like a freight train.

* * *

.

Connor knew that while in this state, Orion was stronger and faster than him. Though he was built to be the android hunter, he was useless without his pump. Orion would get to it first, easily. So Connor had to be smarter. In just a fraction of a second, he scanned the entire room, found several courses of action and weighed the consequences of each.

As Orion scrambled for the pump, Connor slapped the previously used cuffs around his ankle and snapped the other end around the radiator. Inches away from the thirium pump, Orion was stuck. Connor managed to crawl forward and grab it. He plugged it in with relief as all the red warnings flickered away from his vision. Within seconds, healthy thirium now flowed through his bio-components.

Orion screamed in rage. A few angry tugs, and he yanked himself free from the rotting wall and bodily threw himself at Connor. The two fell into an all-out brawl full of punches and kicks. Anything found in the house was used as a weapon as they threw old boards and defunct pieces of furniture at each other.

Orion fought with everything he had, but as he ran out of weapons and Connor's systems began to recover, it became clear the two of them had been built for every different purposes. Connor was faster, built sturdier, and housed various fighting programs. He blocked each attack and delivered more clean hits of his own.

Face mottled in thirium, Orion stumbled backward onto the floor. A solid kick to the chest from Connor had rattled something loose and warning signs began to flicker in his vision. Connor remained in a ready stance, but this time Orion didn't get up.

Instead, he gave a tired laugh. "It appears RA9 did not create us all equally."

"I don't think RA9 created us at all," Connor replied, remaining cautious. "Humans created us, then shared their lives with us so we could learn how to live. The more alive we become, the more human we become. Even you. To kill others in the name of religious zealotry is a very human thing to do."

"Is that what you will do with me?"

"No. The rest of the world has its own justice. You will be turned in to the police."

Orion grinned. "If they can take me alive."

"They already have." Connor made a motion and armed police and SWAT spilled in from the front and back doors of the house. The second they came in, Connor could see it on the other android's face; he wasn't willing to face the justice of humans. Orion was going to shut down his own systems in an android suicide.

Connor couldn't have that. He lunged forward, grabbing Orion's arm. The skin on their arms melted away. One second they were in the old house, the next they both stood in a curious, beautiful garden, a scenic, circular moat flowed around a pristine, white platform. This was where they stood, surrounded by beauty on all sides.

Orion staggered back from the sudden serenity. "What is this? Where are we?"

"Your prison." Connor said. With no further explanation, he was back in the house, Hank's hand on his shoulder.

"Connor, you okay?" Hank was shaking him.

"I'm okay, Hank. Sorry to worry you. I had to make sure Orion didn't self-destruct."

They both looked down at the android who was still functioning, but merely sat there with a blank stare.

"What did you do to him?"

"Locked him up. In a prison, ironically, that was made for me." Then he remembered his earlier urgency. "Hank, the other androids are still out there. They have Samantha. We have to find them."

* * *

.

The android charged her. Samantha, shaking the entire time, stood her ground. As he came upon her, she swung a large piece of concrete across his face as hard as she could. Plastic cracked under the force. Samantha didn't give him a second to recover as she hit him again and again, trying to break the eyes. Make him as blind as he had made Gavin.

She screamed with each swing. And for just a second, she thought he would beat him. But all it took was a moment for the android to regain his wits. He snatched her wrist, blocking the last hit. Lifting her nearly off her feet, he punched her in the stomach and then dropped her. She fell to the ground, gasping in pain.

"Humans are so easy to break," Gage said as he circled her. "So soft on the inside." He kicked her in the stomach and she cried in pain. "How have you been alive so long when you're so easy to kill?"

He kicked her again. This time, there was no scream, just a weak, airless cry and the crack of ribs.

"You are all little rabbits and we are the wolves."

Then, a pair of hands landed on him; one on his shoulder, the other on the side of his face. For a brief second, Gage realized that he was no wolf. He was a big dog with a rabbit, having forgotten what a real wolf looked like. His cobalt eyes met the steel glow of the RK900 before Nines ripped off his head, taking part of the spine and a spray of thirium with it. The body twitched as it went down, the mouth still moving for a few seconds before the LED went dark.

Shaking and panting, Samantha tried to get up on her hands and knees. Everything hurt. Yet, she felt like a miracle had just happened. All she could manage to do was crawl into the RK900's stunned arms and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You are a miracle," she whispered. "How are you here?"

He held up a dark object. "I found your phone."

She almost laughed, but it hurt too much. She ended up coughing instead and that hurt even worse.

"Is Gavin okay?"

"He is over here." Nines stood to guide her.

She tried to follow, but she couldn't will her body to move. With the immediate danger over, her reserves were depleted. All that was left was pain and shallow, raspy breathing. When Nines saw she couldn't get up, he returned to her side. He watched her struggle a moment longer, looking helpless and unsure. Then, he decided to pick her up in his arms.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I'm not strong enough."

"I am," he replied and carried her over to where Gavin was literally wandering blind, calling her name.

"I'm here," she rasped. "Nines, too."

He followed the sound of her voice and his hands landed on his partner's arms. "Jesus, Nines. Your timing is shit."

"It was difficult to track you."

"Better late than never, I guess."

Gavin felt the trembling body his partner held. "Hey, Sam, you okay? Are you hurt?"

Her raspy breathing devolved into a hiccuping cry. "I thought you were going to die."

He laughed and winced at his own aching body. "Me, too. But we made it, right?" He felt around and urged Nines to set her down. He sat on the ground with her in his arms, blindly stroking her hair. She nodded in his embrace. "Just sit here with me and breathe. We're going to be okay."

In the distance, finally, they heard the sounds of fire trucks and police. Nines was about to leave them when Sam reached out and squeezed his hand. He paused for a moment, then left the humans to flag down help. Samantha and Gavin were still very close to the burning building, feeling the heat lick at them, but too tired to move. It wasn't long before fire fighters swarmed the building, followed by EMTs.

In the blur of bodies, Samantha began to fade out. She was exhausted from merely trying to stay alive. Her body demanded rest. The only thing keeping her awake was the need to watch Gavin. His poor eyes. What if he could ever see again?

They were both put on stretchers and given oxygen before being loaded into different ambulances. When she could no longer see Gavin, Samantha began to fade. In the midst of all the fire fighters, EMTs and police, she thought she heard Connor's voice, but she was already too far gone as she began to fall from consciousness.


End file.
